


A Gift from the Goddesses

by StinkyPinkDinosaur



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Body Positivity, Breath of the Wild Spoilers, But the fact there was no post game in botw angered me, Calamity Ganon is ded, Foreplay, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hylian reader - Freeform, I dont normally write fanfiction, Im not gonna tag it though its spoilers, Legend of Zelda References, Masturbation, Multi, Okay im done tagging, Original Character(s), Original Characters - Freeform, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Post-Breath of the Wild, Post-Calamity Ganon, Reader Has Powers, Reader is learning to do normal stuff, Reader pronouns are gender neutral, Reader-Insert, References to Depression, References to PTSD, Sex, Sexy Times, Smut, Video Game, Zelda is a babe yo, botw, eventually, she would be my best freind, tagging all the sexyness just to cover my back, they were literally just born
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2019-08-28 06:41:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 51
Words: 98,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16718287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StinkyPinkDinosaur/pseuds/StinkyPinkDinosaur
Summary: Zelda is rebuilding Hyrule to its former glory, but Link is now without purpose and feels the goddesses have left him to rot after fulfilling their wishes. He struggles in a battle against his own mind until the goddesses send you - A Hylian created by the divine power to remind Link of all that is good, and to help him recover what he has lost. He may even find something he never knew he needed, as he watches you grow....Please enjoy and let me know what you think :D





	1. History

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome!  
> I use a colour of inserts so here is what they mean;  
> (y/n) - Your name  
> (y/h/l) - Your hair length  
> (y/h/c) - Your hair colour  
> (y/e/c) - Your eye colour  
> (y/f/c) - Your favourite colour
> 
> If i have missed any please let me know.  
> Enjoy!

It was done.

  
A life time, and then some, leading up to it, and it was done in a matter of hours. The castle looked bare and unfamiliar, as if the malice that had so menacingly danced around it had been a part of it. Defeating Ganon had been everything, it was what Link had been told his whole life, and suddenly it was done.

  
He felt relief of course. It washed through him as the realisation hit – that Zelda was finally free, that Hyrule would be at peace and the people would no longer live in fear of the monsters that had haunted them for over a century. But what bothered him was that he also felt the tiniest flicker of frustration.

  
At the time he paid it no mind and was quickly brought back from his thoughts to Zelda, riding alongside Link. She had been thinking out loud about various elements of her plans to rebuild Hyrule, which Link thought was incredible but quickly got bored of all the details. He had always looked up to Zelda and her never ending strength against anything life threw at her. Hylia, she’d been trapped inside her own head, along side the Calamity, for 100 years and was now beginning to plan the distribution of materials to rebuild various settlements. Apparently, she had witnessed much of Hyrule’s decay while stuck at the castle, and fully intended on repairing it all. Link couldn’t help but feel she was blaming herself for not being there to prevent it.

  
They were headed to The Zora Domain. Zelda had expressed her desires to deliver her condolences to Mipha’s father, King Dorephan, personally. Link himself felt extremely out of place during the whole thing, especially after the incident regarding the Zora armour. He would wait a while before telling Zelda that tale.

  
King Doraphan and his son, Prince Sidon were overjoyed to see Zelda. They had avoided stables on their way as Zelda had specifically wanted to avoid rumours, saying it would be a wonderful surprise for the people of Hyrule. Thanks to this, many of the Zora could not quite believe she had returned. The King himself was dumbfounded, until he had listened to every word of Zelda’s story, which Link thought was one she was likely to tell many times in the near future.

 

  
And so, began a string of celebrations, political discussions, visits and A LOT of travelling, all over Hyrule in an attempt to spread the word of Zelda’s return. Link had tried to convince her to use the Shrines as a method of moving faster, but she refused. Link believed she preferred being out in the open after so long, but that didn’t stop his feet aching. From Zora’s Domain, to Goron City, then Rito Village, Gerudo town and every little settlement in between. On the way Zelda had formed groups of researchers, fighters, builders, cooks – everything they would need to rebuild the first item on her list: Castle Town. They were all sent there to begin work while she and Link continued their travels.

A year passes, and Link watches Zelda moved through the crowds of people at the entrance to Hateno Village – The last stop on their travels. He is tired, worn and that odd flicker of frustration returns often to his thoughts. He does his best to ignore it, although it often ends in worse feelings of anger. Zelda, however, grows stronger by the day, her mood lifted whenever she encounters a loving subject or sight of beauty. He carries on, despite often experiencing jealousy or even spite towards her. Yet, Link followed wordlessly, aware that he has no other real purpose left but to do so.

  
This realisation hits him like an avalanche.

 

  
But he did nothing about it. The next three years he watches Hylians from all over Hyrule come together to rebuild Castle Town, following Zelda as she strode towards an even greater Kingdom than what once was. Researchers – Including Purah – quickly began looking into the guardians left dormant, scattered around Hyrule field, in efforts to restore them. Before long, they were able to control them using small devices made to look similar to Link’s Sheikah slate. These remodelled guardians were incredibly helpful in rebuilding many of the structures surrounding the Castle. Zelda had a few people travel to share the technology - the Rito, Zora, Gerudo and Goron. In return, they doubled their donations to Zelda’s cause.

  
Link helps out as much as he can. But during those three years he feels himself slowly deteriorate. So slowly, he doesn’t notice his state until he’s spent 6 months just wandering Hyrule alone. He had told Zelda he was going to visit friends he’d stayed with shortly after he’d come out of the Shrine of Resurrection. But those friends didn’t exist, and he actually had no idea where he was going. He just wanted to be alone, away from the crowds of people cheering for the Hero of Hyrule, cheering for someone Link wasn’t anymore.

  
It wasn’t just that, he could no longer sleep, no longer focus or even face other people, let alone monsters. Fighting and talking were equally exhausting. Link spent many nights sat up in panic, hidden against a tree or in a cave, tears streaming down his face, with nothing in his mind but images of death. He saw his friends dying, entire towns becoming bloodstained, he saw himself become mutilated and injured so vividly he could feel the physical pain. In the morning he would carry on as normal, because what else could he do?

 

  
He just kept wandering.


	2. Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link's not doing so good BUT here is were you arrive and everything will be cool  
> Much luv <3

Five years after the fall of the Calamity, Link is sat quietly at the Spring of Power, staring up at the large goddess statue before him. He didn’t remember how he got there and didn’t know how long he’d been there before a young Hylian male sat down beside him. He doesn’t remember who they were, or what exactly they said, but they asked him to come home to visit Zelda. Apparently, she was worried about him. Link said nothing. He was aware Zelda had sent people looking for him. He had so far managed to avoid them, but this time stood and signalled for the man to lead the way.

He didn’t care anymore, knowing there was something wrong, he finally accepted her help. After a long, muted journey, Zelda pulled him in for a hug at the entrance to castle town. He felt a light wave of relief being in her arms. A few tears filled his eyes as he thought of the many months he had left her alone for. He was filled with guilt but swallowed it down hard as Zelda grabbed his hand, leading him away from the crowded entrance. She kept a smile on her face to assure the townsfolk that everything was fine, as concerned faces stared his way.

Through Links vague concentration he saw that there were now many houses and stalls surrounding what he guessed was the new town square. Zelda had him taken up to the castle entrance, a small portion of which had been rebuilt. She led him to a small quiet room, closed the door behind them and stood in silence, observing Link as he ran his hand over the soft bed. He turned and faced a mirror and stopped in shock. He had become thin, face hollowed and pale, skin that wasn’t covered in worn clothing was scared and dirty. He looked weak and empty, and it made him feel useless.

 

Zelda made sure he had nothing but the best of what was available over the next few weeks but had little time herself to visit. She would occasionally bring him meals and stay and tell him about her latest endeavours. She knew Link wasn’t listening but refused to leave until he had eaten. Link himself rarely left his room, although he had promised Zelda he would relax and look after himself. Though nothing dulled the night terrors and panic attacks. Many of the castle attendants and guards could hear him screaming on several occasions, at which point Zelda would run to his bedside until he calmed down. Link felt he didn’t deserve such a caring friend.

Once he had settled, he began wondering the castle at night to keep his mind busy. There was no one around to see him in those sections that were still abandoned. Zelda had made a habit of having everyone keep an eye on him, so this was the only chance he had to be alone. He felt peaceful sitting on top a tower watching the rivers rushing past the edges of Hyrule field. The wind and rain numbed his nose and hands in damp weather, though even this he enjoyed as if it joined him to the world around him.

 

On this particular night, things were at their worst in a long time. Zelda was in an important meeting with representatives from different regions, so he was left to his own devices. Link was wandering the halls leading to the old throne room, his mind filled with frustration. He had nothing but the best here, but he still couldn’t appreciate anything he was given. It all felt like it was done out of pity, as if he was incapable of looking after himself. The truth was, he was incapable. This left him filled with anger at himself.

He walked towards a new staircase that Link hadn’t noticed before. Reaching the top of the stairs, he saw it led to the enormous round hall where Link had begun his fight with Ganon. Zelda had probably had this built, so she could conduct research on the chamber. Hesitantly, he made his way down the stairs. He thought being here would frighten him, especially due to his history with this space. Yet he felt calm, welcomed.

He strode towards the very centre of the room, a faint blue glow coming from the familiar markings on the walls, joining at the centre of the floor in a small circle. As he moved closer to this, he glanced at a desk stood nearby with drawings of the markings scattered over it, alongside books on ancient technology and Hyrule history. Link chuckled - Zelda was such a nerd.

He stared at his feet which were bare, so he could sneak past guards in silence. The stone floor was warm, as though a strange energy came from beneath the ground. He closed his eyes and thought through what had happened in the past five years.

He was so lost – even now he was living in the castle with friends, he still felt alone. He felt desperation for release from the unending fear and frustration. He never felt regret for the role he played in freeing Hyrule, he refused to let himself. But he was angry at the Goddesses for abandoning him after he fulfilled their wishes without question. He was the Hero of Hyrule, and yet he had been left to rot as soon as his purpose was fulfilled. Was he that worthless now? Was he just supposed to die?

He suddenly realised his face had screwed up and tears were falling over his cheeks. He knelt down as he felt all energy leave his body, face and balled fists relaxing as he sobbed into the floor. Link was weak and alone and lost. All he wanted was an answer.

He watched as one of his tears landed on the central circle of the floor.

 

The room’s soft glow grew to a blinding blue light as the floor and walls began to shake. Link involuntarily jumped to his feet and looked around, backing into the small desk behind him. The circle in the ground sunk, and as if the light in the walls were flowing down towards it, it filled with a blue glowing liquid. Link recognised this substance from the Shrine of resurrection, as it had covered him when he first woke up there. The light had then fully transferred to the small pool, which was now all that could be seen in the room. Then the light rose up in thin threads, tangling with each other and forming shapes in mid-air.

Link watched as these shapes began to join to form limbs and a head, resulting in a tall, thin figure, standing a few inches above the ground. He stared, unable to move. The walls began emitting a soft glow once again, and Link saw Zelda, a few guards and some of those who must have been in the meeting, stood staring at the foot of the stairs. He watched them over the blue figures shoulder, expecting them to do something. He made eye contact with each of them and tried to mentally scream for help. Sidon, Purah, Bludo, Teba, Riju, a few others he couldn’t remember. They all stood with blank expressions.

A minute or so passed, and Link tried to relax. This figure did not seem hostile, so he took a step forward. He heard the guards raise their shields in front of Zelda. He caught her eye and she nodded. He took that as a cue to move forward again.

He moved to stand directly in front of the glowing figure. The levels of fear in the room were so high and Link could feel the others analysing millions of possible outcomes in their minds. Link did his best to ignore them. He looked into the figures face, and immediately felt calm.

 

He heard a voice in his head. It was the same voice that had come from the goddess statues whenever he gave them offerings.

 

_Hero of Hyrule, we have not forgotten you. Our gift to this world will help you repair what is broken, and to find what you have lost._

 

 

The figure began to shrink, stopping just an inch shorter than Link. Its limbs shortened, and head shrank while sharp ears grew from either side of its face. He watched as its facial features became more defined, until it resembled that of a Hylian.

Link could not look away from their eyes, as the blue glow subsided, and the figure filled with colour. (Y/h/l, y/h/c) hair fell from their head, a (y/f/c) shirt decorated with the symbols found on the ancient technology covered their torso, a belt joining it to white harem pants also materialised. A dusting of pink over their cheeks appeared, alongside a few freckles. Their bare feet met the ground and there stood a fully formed, adult Hylian, as if out of nowhere.

Link continued to stare as they opened their eyes, which where a wonderful (y/e/c). He leaned forward to study their face more intently. He no longer felt fear, only curiosity. The figure remained still, staring straight ahead.

Zelda appeared next to him and grasped his arm. He turned to her to say something, but as he opened his mouth the figure fell forward, eyes fluttering shut. Link managed to prevent their head hitting the ground and set them down gently. Zelda moved to call for a medic, leaving Link to sit next to the newcomer. He suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion come over him. Even with all the hurried arguing in the background, he felt his body go limp, and slumped onto the ground. He felt himself drift away, into a deep sleep.


	3. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit more about the reader, because I'm a sucker for backstory :D  
> Much luv <3

You took a breath; cool air filled your lungs. You opened your eyes to find yourself staring down at bare feet, feet belonging to a Hylian. You had never seen a Hylian, but you knew that is what you were at that moment. Looking up, there was bright light everywhere, making it difficult to distinguish shapes around you. From what you could see, you were in a field of flowers of all different colours and types, their fragrance filling the air with sweet scents. You were calm; this place felt familiar.

 

_You have a wonderful journey ahead of you, young one._

 

You were not frightened by this voice, you knew it as a great power, much more divine than yourself. You could feel its strong presence in this place.

 

_It will not be without challenge, though. You will have a short time in their world, with much to do._

 

You felt a sense of pride swell in your chest. You could do this, whatever was asked of you, you would fulfil without question for the divinity of this world.

 

_We wish you luck._

 

You felt the presence of the voice depart, and you were left alone. You noticed a glimmering surface stood facing you a small way in front of you. You saw your reflection appear within it as you drew nearer. You admired your (y/h/l) (y/h/c) hair framing long, pointed ears. You thought these were absolutely adorable. You wore a (y/f/c) shirt decorated in silver patters of lines joining small circles. White, loose trousers covered your legs and gathered at your ankles. Your body was (y/body/type) and you loved it, as you traced your hips with your hands. You were excited to begin life in this form.

But, had the voice said you only had a short time? Perhaps the voice meant that Hylians have short lives compared to that of the deities. Regardless, you made a silent pact to make the most of your life.

You noticed a ripple in the mirror as if it had become a liquid. Pressing your hand against it, you found you could pass through it. You held your eyes shut and stepped through it hesitantly.

On what you assumed was the other side, you felt your body stiffen. You opened your eyes to meet a pair coloured ice blue. They looked tired, but kind. You loved their colour so much and wished you could move to tell the owner so. They belonged to a thin Hylian male, next to which approached a female with beautifully decorated, long blonde hair. She placed her hand on the other’s arm and he turned away towards her. You tried to speak to them both but just as you did you felt your body melt and fell to the floor as you lost consciousness.

 

You woke somewhere warm and soft, dimly lit and smelling of burning wood. You decided you liked the smell and sat up to see if there was a fire nearby. Across the room from the small bed you had woken up in, was indeed a small stone fire place crackling as bright flames danced over burning logs. It was hypnotising to watch and allowed you to think as your foggy mind cleared.

You remembered the two Hylians, and wandered if they had brought you here to the small room. You decided to find out where exactly you were and moved the soft red blanket covering you to the side. You still wore the same clothes, relieved that no stranger had had to change them. You stood and walked to the door and peeked out into a long corridor. You stepped out cautiously and closed the door behind you, turning to find a short Hylian child had been stood behind you.

“Aaaaahhh! You’re awake! Finally.” You looked down to see a young girl with white hair tied in a large bun, with a small tablet in her hand.

“Hello,” Your voice sounded unfamiliar, you reached to your throat to feel where the vibrations had come from. The young girl noticed your confusion.

“So this is all new to you huh? That’s so interesting! You must come with me, there are SOOO many people who want to talk to you.” She seemed excited. You nodded, and she took your hand and dragged you off along the corridor.

 

After a few turns you were led into a large room containing a group of people sat around a large table. You recognised the Hylian woman who stood when she saw you, a beautiful smile on her face. You could not help but smile back. You also saw a much older Hylian woman and a large humanoid with features of a shark you knew as a Zora. You also recognised others like a Rito, Gerudo, and Goron. The wide range of peoples in the room had your full attention, Zelda noticed this and motioned towards them.

“We want to welcome you to Hyrule. My name is Zelda, and these are good friends of mine.” She introduced each one in turn. “This is Sidon, prince of the Zora.” He beamed, pointed teeth practically gleaming. “Impa, leader of the Sheikah tribe,” She gestured to the older Hylian woman who nodded in your direction. “This is Riju, leader of the Gerudo people,” Another young girl this time with bright red hair. “Bludo is the Goron boss,” The large Goron with elaborate facial hair raised a hand to wave. “Teba from the Rito,” A stern looking Rito nodded in response “And you’ve already met Purah, although I doubt in her excitement, she managed to introduce herself.” The young Hylian girl who led you here chuckled.

You waited for the male Hylian to come into view, straining your neck to see if he was stood behind one of the others. The others watched your gaze and you turned back to Zelda who mirrored your confused look.

“Where is the other?” You said, still not used to speaking. Zelda’s face switched back to her infectious smile.

“He doesn’t particularly enjoy these meetings. Besides, he passed out moments after you did last night. We had to make sure he rested, as we did with you.” You didn’t notice the disappointed look you were giving her, and she suddenly began to reassure you. “You will meet him soon do not worry. We just wanted to ask you a few questions, you did come out of nowhere after all.”

She made you feel calm and comfortable, so when she gestured for you to sit you did so. Purah moved to sit on your right, and Zelda to your left. All faces were directed your way, you made eye contact with each person before the questions began.

“What is your name, young one?” Impa spoke gently. You thought for a moment.

“Y/N” You guessed this was the name the goddesses had given you. You liked it. You smiled back at Impa.

“Where did you come from, Y/N?” The Rito spoke next. Teba seemed suspicious of you. You couldn’t blame him though, as far as you were aware you had just appeared in front of Zelda and her friend. You took another moment to think, but you couldn’t picture anything before last night.

“I don’t remember…” You rubbed you eyes and focused again.

“Try.” Teba seemed threatening. “We have no idea what you are, explain yourself.” You looked up at him, wide eyed.

“Woah, woah Teba,” Bludo said, shooting a worried glance in your direction. “Calm down son, we don’t want them frightened right after they’ve gotten here”

“But why did they need to GET here,” Riju joined the conversation. “It implies they came from somewhere else, somewhere we don’t understand”

“If you are implying that they are dangerous then you are incredibly mistaken,” Sidon said defensively. “They have brought nothing but themselves with them,” Faces held a mixture of anger and confusion as the argument continued.

“They themselves could be the danger, my Prince, do you not understand this?” Teba continued. You stared at each of them as they spoke.

“Ridiculous” scoffed Impa, who seemed to be growing impatient.

“I understand perfectly well, all of your deluded ideas, sir.” Sidon spoke clearly and confidently. “But you cannot rush towards violence when we don’t even know who they are” Teba glared at him with intense anger.

“Or what they are” Riju added. Sidon bared his teeth in frustration.

“For all we know this could be sick game” Teba continued. “How do we know this is not another reincarnation of Ga-“

“No.”

Zelda had stood from her seat and set both hands in front of her on the table. You looked down at your hands, feeling as if all this anger was your fault.

“That’s enough, I suggest you all calm down and learn to prevent yourselves from starting such petty arguments, we shall continue this discussion later” she glanced towards you with a worried expression, as the others began to leave the room. Once alone she took your hands in hers.

“This is not your fault, they are scared of what they don’t understand.” You looked up into her kind eyes.

“Are you scared?” You spoke quietly, still feeling out of place after the recent debate.

“I have no reason to be”. She smiled and squeezed your hands. You smiled back, and she pulled you up to stand. “Now, would you like to go and see if Link is awake?”

You gave her a puzzled look. “Link?”

Zelda took your arm and led you from the room. “I believe you referred to him as the ‘other one’.”


	4. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOh reader meets Link and Reader's fate is decided ~)'0'(~

You felt your heart flutter slightly at the thought of seeing those wonderful blue eyes again. You decided it was your favourite colour and wandered if anything else could shine in such a way. Zelda led you back towards the corridor where your room had been, past a few more doors and knocked quietly on the last door on the right. She waited patiently for a few seconds before slowly opening the door, peeking into the room.

“Empty.” She said. “Of course, it is.” She closed the door again. Your heart sank, and you stared at your feet, still bare. Had he left because of you? Had you scared him as you had done all those people in Zelda’s meeting? Questions darted through your mind as you rubbed your hands together nervously. “Don’t worry yourself. He spends most of his life outdoors, I imagine he’s on the roof or something”. Zelda was acting like this was completely expected of Link, so you relaxed a little.

At least you did until you felt your stomach tighten and it growled loudly. Zelda’s eyes opened wide in shock for a moment as you clutched your gut. Then she just giggled, making you push out your bottom lip in frustration.

“You haven’t eaten at all have you? Dinner should be soon, if we hurry, I can ask for an extra serving for you in the kitchen.” She took your arm once again and your mood lifted slightly at the thought of food. Zelda and you turned back along the hallway. “I asked specifically for one of Link’s favourites after the events of last night. I’m glad I did, it might bring him out of hiding” She giggled again, and you couldn’t help but let out a small laugh along with her.

 

Link was sat on the roof of the same tower he had the night previously, watching the sun set. The wind caused the grass in the fields below to ripple like water while fireflies began to glow at the riverside. Last night had been the first full night of sleep he’d had in years, and it bothered him. He couldn’t decide if it was part of the Goddesses “gift” or that your presence had the same calming effect on him as it had after you appeared.

He hadn’t told anyone about the voice he heard, as far as he was aware that message was for him. He certainly didn’t want Zelda thinking he was losing his mind any more than he currently was. But after what he saw last night, he wasn’t even sure he had a shred of sanity left. He had seen many wonderful things on his journey as the Hero of Hyrule but creating an adult Hylian from thin air was a miracle. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and thought back to the whole event. Your (y/e/c) eyes had stuck in his head all night, and the fact he was so eager to see them again frustrated him. What was so special about you? What could you possibly do to help him?

There was no explaining the work of the Goddesses, Link had settled on this fact a long time ago. So, he decided he would just have to deal with you later. Right now, he was hungry, and had promised to look after himself. He knew the consequences of breaking promises made to Zelda, and he couldn’t handle that right now.

Link entered the makeshift dining area. The castles kitchen had not been part of the initial renovations, so a small kitchen had been installed next door to a large meeting room. He could smell something delicious cooking and his stomach responded with a small growl. There were many of Zelda’s important guests huddled around one end of the one long table in the room, discussing very serious matters. Link decided he couldn’t be bothered with all that nonsense right now and sat down at the other end, helping himself to some water from a pitcher. Before long one of the cooks had brought him a serving of something he hadn’t had in a long time; Gourmet Meat Curry. He turned to thank them, but when he turned back in his seat he was met with your face across the table.

“Hello!” You said with a little too much excitement. Link jumped slightly, and you realised you had frightened him. “Oh no! I’m sorry. Zelda was just going to speak to the cooks and I thought I’d come and say … Hi…” You were very nervous all of a sudden. You couldn’t wait to meet Link all day but now you were here, you almost froze.

“It’s okay, um, sorry I don’t know your name, do you have a name?” He said.

“(Y/N)” You replied. You suddenly felt your name might be a bit silly.

“I’ve not heard a name like that before.” He smiled slightly “I like it”.

You beamed, but also scolded yourself internally. Why were your emotions jumping around like this? You decided to try harder to contain yourself as you noticed Link shift uncomfortably. You must have been acting strangely.

Link was uncomfortable. But only because he didn’t know how to act around you. On the one hand, you were fascinating. He wanted to learn everything about you and how you came to be, but you were also strange, different, and supposedly here to help him. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

Another cook arrived to serve you a dish of food, and then moved to serve Zelda who was seated with the others at the far end of the table. She gave you and Link a small wave. You waved back and realised how much you admired Zelda. In the short time you knew her, you would already consider her a trustworthy friend. You felt your heart swell with pride, knowing this wonderful leader had considered you important enough to sit at her table.

You turned back to Link whose mouth was now stuffed with curry and rice. You giggled loudly, and he pulled a confused face which made you giggle more.

“Whafs fe ma-er?” Link said through his food.

“Your face!” You mimicked by puffing your cheeks up with air. “You look silly!”

Link swallowed and blew his cheeks full of air, mirroring you. This pulled another shrill giggle from you.

“Like a fish huh?” said Link, with a small smile.

“I’ve never seen a fish.” You said. Link looked puzzled for a moment. Of course, you haven’t, you had only seen the inside of the castle so far. He wandered if you were aware of the fact there was a whole world outside of this place. He watched you as you took a bite of the curry.

“Wow!” It was delicious. You immediately began piling more into your mouth.

“You should be careful, it’s a little spicy and if you’re not used to it, it –“

“Burns!” You exclaim, fanning your mouth, cheeks red with the heat. It was Link’s turn to giggle as you scrambled to lift a pitcher and fill your cup. Instead opting to drink straight from said pitcher when the burning intensified. Link continued to giggle.

It was at this moment Zelda looked over, she had not seen Link laugh in several years. She felt such joy seeing this that she completely zoned out of the conversation being had at her end of the table. You did indeed look hilarious trying to down so much water.

You were so embarrassed that when your mouth finally cooled you scowled at Link. “Stop it! I didn’t know!” You said, although watching Link send a cheeky smile across to you completely numbed your frustration. You smiled down at your food, this time taking smaller bites.

Link had finished his meal and continued to watch you, questions running through his mind once again. His curiosity got the better of him and he had to ask.

“So, were you really sent by the Goddesses?” He said quietly. You swallowed and stared blankly at him.

“I’m sorry I still don’t remember…” You rubbed your eyes, thinking hard. “I couldn’t possibly be that important surely?”

Link glanced over to Zelda to see if she was watching, luckily, she was busy with conversation once again and he leaned in across the table. You felt your cheeks heat up slightly. “I was told by a voice, I’ve heard them before at the Goddess shrines, it said you were here to help repair something” He looked down at his hands “to help find something lost”.

You closed your eyes and thought hard, but still nothing came to you. You sighed and opened your eyes. “I’m sorry, Link. I want to know just as badly as you do.” Link moved back into his seat. He looked disappointed and you felt your stomach flip. Was that your fault?

“Are you enjoying the food, (Y/N)?” Zelda had moved next to you and placed her hand on your shoulder, smiling down at you.

“It’s a bit hot” You said, realising you may have offended the cooks you scrambled to say “But it was amazing at the same time. Is all food like that?” Zelda chuckled.

“Unfortunately, no, there are some foods that are not so tasty." She sat beside you. "I have to go and meet the research team soon. They’ve been working on controls for those flying guardians!” She turned to Link “Isn’t that wonderful? We could increase the speed at which we rebuild many times over!” Link nodded although didn’t seem to be paying attention. He was watching the group at the other end of the table. You thought that rude.

“It sounds wonderful. Will I be able to see what a guardian is?” You didn’t want to dull her excitement. Zelda looked away towards the group at the other end of the table. You recognised them from the meeting you joined earlier.

“Unfortunately, they – I mean, we,” She looked back at you. “Have decided you should remain in the castle until we run a few checks on you.” She smiled but you could see worry behind it.

“Checks?” You say, eyes wide.

“Nothing to be worried about. We just want to record your height, weight, look at how you are built. The others worry you are not fully Hylian.” Zelda explained. You noticed Link was giving her his full attention. “But regardless, it would be very helpful to the research we are conducting on the room you were, well, created in I suppose.” Her enthusiasm returned although it did little to dampen your worries. You looked down at your now empty plate and rubbed your hands together.

“So you’ll be able to figure out if they really are, erm” Link struggled to find the right phrase. “Different from the rest of us?” You continued to stare down as a rush of sickness crashed into you. Different? Is that a bad thing? Is that why everyone is scared of you?

Zelda cast worried look at you then spoke confidently. “We will be able to prove they are no danger to anyone, and that they were not made to harm anything.”

Link seemed dissatisfied with this. He nodded, stood, waved goodnight and walked slowly out of the room.

You could feel your face burning with both embarrassment and anxiousness. You had caused so many issues. You hoped the checks would prove you weren’t dangerous, and you could prove to everyone you were just you.

“You must be tired; shall I take you back to your room?” Zelda gave a tired smile. You nodded and stood to take her arm. You walked silently back to your room, bid Zelda goodnight and flopped face down onto your bed.

 

Everything was so confusing.


	5. Proof of Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader gets into the research and there's a CUTE LINK MOMENT (/o 3 o)/  
> Also this one is really long because i love theorising about all the ancient tech because i'm a giant nerd  
> ENJOY

You stood once again in the centre of the large room you first arrived in. Zelda, Purah, a man named Robbie you had just met, and a few other researches stood at the desk a few meters in front of you. They were chatting idly as you waited for the different representatives of each region to arrive. You thought back to the previous events of the day.

 

 

You had not been allowed to leave the castle yet, although what areas of the vast building you had been allowed to explore were interesting enough. When you woke on the second day you found no one waiting outside your room, so decided to keep your mind busy by looking around. You had thought about going to see Link, but after you had managed to disappoint him the night before, you had become anxious.

One of the first rooms you discovered was the Library. Zelda had found you there after you had spent the day looking through many interesting books. Zelda thought it incredible that you could already read, despite no one teaching you. Of the small collection remaining in the castle, you had found a book containing maps of Hyrule, telling of the different tribes and groups of people living there. You had also found a cook book and read a lot about food. The moment you looked up to see Zelda you had a multitude of questions that began pouring from your mouth.

Zelda giggled at your enthusiasm. “As much as I want to talk to you about all this, everyone has been looking for you! Some of the other leaders were getting suspicious after the guards told us your room was empty. You must not just wander off until the others understand you aren’t a danger.”

She saw the excitement drain from your face as she spoke. “Oh, my dear,” She knelt in front of you. “I promise to teach you anything you want to learn as soon as we finish these silly tests.” She smiled. “I’m sure Link could help as well!”

“I’d like that” You smiled back.

“Now we need to start work on our next research project, and that means we need you to come down to the Ancient's hall.” She said, pulling you from the floor and taking your arm.

“Ancient's hall? Is that where I was, uh, created?” It sounded strange saying that. Zelda led you from the Library out to an older, more decrepit looking corridor towards the throne room. Two guards were waiting to escort them.

“Yes, a lot of the shrines and towers around Hyrule were built a long time ago by a group of ancient peoples, with technology far greater than ours. They also built the guardians and the large room below the castle, which we have named the Ancient's hall.” Zelda explained. You remembered seeing a drawing of one of the shrines in one particular history book, they were covered in patterns with circles and lines joining together. You pulled at your shirt which held similar markings.

Zelda noticed you studying your clothing. “You arrived in those clothes. We think the Ancients hall was not only a place made for Link to fight the Calamity, but also to create you, although we are not sure what exactly you are here for. So, we are hoping these tests will tell us about…”

Zelda paused. “You were able to read common straight away were you not?” You nodded. “Wouldn’t it be marvellous if you could also read the language of the ancients?” She turned to you with a huge grin. “You could exponentially improve our research! Oh, we will have to test that afterwards!” She sped up and dragged you with her, pulling you down a tall staircase into an enormous circular room with high ceilings. Across the walls were those familiar ancient markings, glowing a soft blue.

You looked at the small group of people waiting in the centre of the room. You recognised Purah, but the others you could not remember.

“This is Robbie and his wife, Jerrin, you’ve met Purah, this is her research assistant Symon.” Zelda introduced them. They looked up from their notes in turn.

“Fascinating.” Robbie placed his notes down on the desk and moved closer to admire you. You felt a little out of place. “You look completely natural.”

You were confused by this comment. “Th-thank you?”

“Link you made it!” Zelda smiled over your shoulder and you turned to see Link stepping off the stairs. You felt your stomach flip as you caught his eyes, brilliant blue holding your gaze for a moment.

He turned to Zelda. “Thought I ought to start being useful, since you’ve taken such good care of me.” He said. You noticed deep lines under his eyes – had he slept last night?

“Let’s get started then!” Purah jumped onto a small by the table. You had forgotten how child-like she looked.

“Purah, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” you said cautiously.

Purah grinned. “One hundred and twenty-five!” Your mouth dropped open for a second. “How old are you, (y/n)?”

“I don’t think I’m very old.” You say, looking down at yourself. “But I have been here for two days now”.

Purah began scribbling down notes frantically and the others followed suit. Link took a seat at the table as well.

“You say you don’t remember anything before your appearance?” say Robbie.

“I’m afraid not” You reply. There is more scribbling.

“Do you dream?” says Purah. You are a little confused by this question.

“Dream?”

“Individuals who are connected to the Goddesses in some way, like Link or Zelda, or an oracle or monk, often have dreams containing visions or instructions from them while they sleep.” Jerrin explained.

“No, I don’t have that.” You say. “Am I supposed to?”

Zelda shook her head. “You have only been here two nights, you won’t normally have a dream every night.” She said.

They continued asking questions for a while and scribbling notes, then began measuring your height, waist, legs, and weighed you, checking them against Hylian averages.

“Okay Link, can we borrow your Sheikah slate now please?” Purah asked.

He took it from his belt and handed it to her. You hadn’t noticed it before, perhaps he had not been wearing it in front of you until now. It was a small brown rectangle, with a handle carved into it. It too was decorated with the ancient patterns, but also a large eye symbol. You recognised it from somewhere but couldn’t place it.

“We need to take some pictures of you using this” Purah held up the tablet. “Then we can save them to a data tablet” she gestured to a smaller tablet Robbie held up to show, similar in design. “We managed to mimic some of the tech in the Sheikah slate, enough to store images, but not enough to take them... yet!” she jumped excitedly. “Okay if you could just stand still for a moment…” Purah held up the tablet and you stood with your arms to your sides.

Then a small beeping sound began, seemingly coming from the tablet. The others looked curiously at Purah.

“It’s saying there’s a shrine nearby.” Link peered over Purah’s shoulder. “That’s impossible I have been to every single one, the detector deactivates after each one.” Link looked you up and down with a confused look. You felt yourself blush.

“Is it possible…” Robbie took the tablet from Purah, stepping further away from you. The beeping stopped when he reached the desk. He stepped forward again and the beeping restarted, the pace increasing the closer he got. “They must give out the same energy as a lot of the ancient structures this tablet can detect.”

“Could it be that they are made of the same elements as the ancient shrines?” Symon said.

“Oh! I have an idea. Remember that ancient text we looked through recently, the one that mentioned an important element used by the ancients.” Zelda turned to you. “We couldn’t decipher it very well, if my theory about (y/n) being able to read is correct, they could help us.” Zelda turned to a stack of large books.

“They can read?” Robbie asked, “Excellent. It seems you were preloaded with basic communication skills.” He scribbled something in his notes again.

Zelda returned with a large book with a solid, thick leather cover. It seemed quite sturdy, but you opened it delicately anyways.

“The written record of Mya-Dahl, and her tireless efforts to explore the mysterious substance named Sheikahtahl.” You turned the page before looking up. You noticed everyone’s mouths had dropped open.

Link chuckled at this. “You nerds…”

They later explained that even the best translations of some texts were patchy, and that you were the first in centuries to be able to read ancient. You read another few pages and found that the element names sheikahtahl was a blue glowing substance the ancients had mined long ago. It held great amounts of energy and was even said to have abilities to heal and even hold memories. Mya-Dahl claimed to be led by the Goddesses to use the strange substance, which eventually lead her to research into channelling energy from the Goddesses themselves using it. Zelda stopped you after this, but not before making you promise to translate every ancient text they had.

After another round of questions regarding your “preloaded” abilities, as Robbie called them, they had sent a guard to summon the representatives, to share their findings. They all believed that this was evidence enough to show how you were brought here by either the ancients as part of a long-forgotten experiment, or possibly by the deities themselves. It made sense given your understanding of ancient, and the signal you sent to the Sheikah slate.

 

 

You looked down at your feet as you continued to wait for the others to arrive. Zelda had found you socks and some boots for you to wear and you admired the patterns worked into the leather. You rubbed your hands together nervously, hoping Zelda could convince the others of your innocence. You looked up to see Link approaching you.

“(y/n) are you okay?” He asked, he seemed concerned and looked down at your hands.

“A little nervous I suppose.” You looked down to your feet again, your stomach flipping.

“These people are incredible scientists; the others will trust what they say. You have nothing to worry about.” He smiled reassuringly. You nodded, but something was still bothering you.

“What did you mean last night when you said that I might be, uh, different from you all?” You asked. He raised an eyebrow and questions began flooding from you. “I mean, is that a bad thing? I obviously am different to all of you, but is that wrong? Am I not supposed to be like this… or maybe – “

“(y/n),” He took your hands in his, silencing you as he caught you gaze with bright blue eyes. You noticed the lines under his eyes again, as he spoke softly too you. “Everyone is different from each other in some way. Some more than others. But we are all the way we are supposed to be.”

You felt your cheeks heat up as he looked down at your hands in his. He noticed how smooth your skin was, and a dusting of pink covered his own face. He rubbed his thumb in circles over your palm and looked back up at you.

You could feel your heart hammering like you never thought it could, face burning and stomach doing somersaults within you. All you could do was watch his tired, but wonderful eyes. You took in every detail of his face - it was thin and pale, blonde bangs framing his long ears. You didn't notice but Link was admiring you in just the same way.

He suddenly broke eye contact and turned his head towards the stairs. He dropped your hands and took a few steps back, his own stomach lurching as he realised what had happened. He had completely lost concentration, and he was still not sure how he felt about your appearance. 

You now had even more questions than before.

You quickly began rubbing your hands together as you noticed what he was looking at. The representatives had arrived – Sidon, Riju, Impa, Teba and Bludo had joined Zelda and the others.

“(Y/N), shall we begin?”


	6. A Guide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is super long but I'm really getting into all the lore. Also trying to set things up for super duper Reader and Link time :D :D :D  
> Hopefully there will be uber duber fluff in the next one.

Link moved to stand next to Sidon, in line with the other leaders. Zelda had begun to introduce her team of researches to their audience, but Link heard none of it. He was frustrated, tried and fed up of being confused about everything. The Goddesses had said you were to help, but did they really mean help him? Perhaps Link had been selfish in thinking you were here to fix his problems, he wasn’t that important anyways.

He looked up at you as you helped demonstrate the signal the Sheikah slate received when near you – you were walking back and forth in front of it. He hadn’t given the idea of you as a person much thought, so far you were just an alien to him. You could see why some of the others had deemed you dangerous. But now he stared at you for a while longer, he thought you rather beautiful.

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He had enough internal issues right now, without adding any possible romantic feelings into the mix. He needed to think about himself.

 

Last night he had stayed up watching the stars, sat up on his favourite tower. He had done a lot of thinking, eventually deciding he needed to look after himself. Not just in regard to eating and sleeping, but he needed to take care of his mind. He had spent a long time just living with it, which ultimately lead to worse and worse problems.

 

A small round of applause woke him from his thoughts and he looked up. Zelda had finished with the presentation and the representatives had begun their discussions. You sat anxiously on the floor of the room waiting for their decision, your hands rubbing together.

You couldn’t hear a lot of what they were saying from the other side of the room but thought it best if you don’t interrupt. You wanted so desperately to have some say in your own future, but also understood you were different from them and they were protecting their people. Not that being different was bad, as Link had said.

You thought back to that moment and wandered if it had affected Link in the same way. You shook your head and strained to listen in on the leader’s conversation. You didn’t even know what you had felt, and decided it wasn’t as important as this.

“If this truly was a result of a long-forgotten experiment by the ancients, we cannot ignore it.” Riju was first to share her thoughts. “The ancient’s technology has done nothing but aid Link and Zelda in their journeys. Not to mention the Champions and their divine beasts.”

“Agreed, the young one has not shown any threat to us either, I know my father would welcome them with open arms into Zora’s Domain.” Sidon chimed in.

“This proves nothing.” They all turned towards Teba. “We have no idea what other abilities they possess. Even if we believe what they were able to translate was truth and not some fabrication, they may not even understand their own power.” He used a hushed, smooth voice. You felt your heart drop. He was right, you had no idea what you were capable of, and there was nothing you could do about it.

“This may be true Teba, but we cannot just lock them away.” Bludo continued.

“Perhaps if we were to teach them what we know, they could be helped in understanding themselves. It also might prove useful to our own research of the ancients” suggested Zelda, although a little sternly.

“But we still do not know their intentions” Teba snapped. “I will not be blamed for releasing a possible danger onto the land my people live in.”

“What if they had a guide.” Your ears pricked up at this.

Link hadn’t even noticed himself speaking, the thought came suddenly, but it was a possible solution.

“In what sense?” Riju enquired.

Link cleared his throat and looked in your direction for a moment. You were pale, nervousness written all over your expression as you looked to the floor.

“As in, a personal guard or chaperone, but also someone to teach them. Not only about the ancients but also about our world” Link continued. He had fallen in love with Hyrule over and over again during his travels. Perhaps if you could see it the same way he, Zelda and the others did, they would never have to worry about you turning against them. Link explained to the leaders that if you were to feel part of Hyrule, you would have no reason to harm it.

The others seemed happy with this, and the discussion continued as a few more details were made clear. Of course, Zelda volunteered to teach you all she could about the Ancients and other Hyrule history, while the leaders of each settlement promised to teach you about their different cultures and trades. However, there was the issue of having someone at your side for such a length of time. Zelda had limited guards as it was, and couldn’t spare the time to accompany you everywhere, neither could the other leaders.

Link could think of no better option than himself. He knew a lot about Hyrule as it was – the best travel routes, the best places to eat and forage. However, he felt like this was going to be a long-term job, you couldn’t possibly learn everything in one day. Zelda refused to pressure him into anything he wasn’t ready for.

“At least we have decided they are free while under a trusted person’s watch.” Zelda concluded. “For now, they can stay in Castle Town and I will tell my guards of their circumstances.”

Link stole a glance at you from across the room. You were beaming across the room at Zelda, clearly happy with the decision. He couldn’t keep a faint smile from his own face, or a pale pink hue creeping over his cheeks. He snapped himself back into focus, trying to concentrate on the discussion.

Once the representatives were finally satisfied, they decided to leave for dinner. As they began to leave the room, researchers not far behind, Zelda walked towards you. You stood and smiled at her.

“Zelda, I can’t thank you enough. Thank you, thank you!” You pulled her into a hug and she giggled. You suddenly realised what you had done, pulled away and apologised. “Sorry I didn’t mean to just grab you…”

“Oh, (y/n) you’re just excited, I’m glad to see you happy with the results. I’ve been left to organise a few final details, but I can finally show you the castle gardens and Castle Town and Oh! I can finally show you our guardians and teach you about Hyrule!” She had grabbed your hands and was practically bouncing on her feet. “Besides, the final decision was all Link’s idea, be sure to thank him–,”

She turned to see where he was, but when you looked over her shoulder you both discovered he had already left. You felt a little disappointed he did not stay to celebrate with you. But perhaps you had scared him earlier - he had moved away from you in such a rush you wandered if you had even disgusted him. You couldn’t pin point what had happened but decided to ask Zelda later.

 

That night you were asked to sit with the other representatives. Most of them had many questions about you but you couldn’t answer many. You instead started to ask questions about their peoples – their cultures, their homes, their food and clothes. Anything you could think of, you wanted to learn about. You were talking for hours, and you had barely noticed that Zelda began yawning part way through Bludo telling you about the Goron champion.

The champions and divine beasts sounded incredible, and you made Zelda promise to let you go and see each one soon. Large mechanical beasts built to accompany champions through their battles must be magnificent to witness.

 

That night you lay in bed, imagining exploring all of the places you had heard about at dinner. You were determined to follow along with the leaders plan so they could all finally trust you. But what you looked forward to the most was the possibility of spending so much time with Link. You had no idea why you suddenly wanted to be around him more, even after his strange reaction to touching your hand in such a way.

You suddenly realised he hadn’t been at dinner. You wandered if he skipped meals often and began to worry if this was his reason for being so thin. You remembered the tired lines under his eyes as well, and an urge to hold and care for him overcame you. You fell asleep once again with the bright blue eyes on your mind, determined to find a way to help Link.

 

Link had gone straight to his thinking spot out in the ruined parts of the castle. He had to think about in regards to his proposed role of being your guard. He thought back to when he had been assigned to guarding Zelda. He had to keep himself in peak condition, if he ever became weak or injured it meant Zelda was at risk. He would have to get back in shape if he wanted to perform that role again.

But was there any point? Link had felt nothing but useless since he got back, having to allow others to watch him and look after him. He thought back to when he had reassured you earlier, your face bright pink, soft hands in his, clearly breathless. He thought back to the time he spent with you at dinner the night before, and how you had made him laugh so. He felt normal around you, like his old self.

 

He had wandered into the dining hall late that night, to find Zelda sat alone scribbling something in a notebook. She greeted him as he sat opposite her quietly, watching her note-taking.

“Zelda I…” He didn’t know how to ask her for help, she’s already done so much for him, surely it would offend her to ask for more. She stopped writing and looked up. He rubbed his eyes with both hands and took in a shaky breath.

“I want to get better. I want to help you and take the role in being (y/n)’s guide, but I am not… what I was” He was struggling to explain himself, his voice was uneven and shaky. “I can’t… they won’t be… You-,”

“You don’t have to explain yourself Link, I understand.” She shut her book and placed a hand on his to comfort him. “I’ve got something that might help you, will you follow me to the library?” Link nodded and stood.

 

Once they entered the library, Zelda reached for a small book from one of the lower shelves.

“This was written by a soldier who went through something similar to you,” she said as Link took the book from her. “He has written a lot about how he coped with the aftershock of battles and the great sadness he felt along with it. I think reading it will give you an idea of how to heal yourself.”

Link looked up from the book. “This means a lot,” he said quietly. He finally had a purpose again, which was reason enough right now to get himself better. A small smile crept over his lips as he realised you had been what drove him to do this.

“I haven’t seen you smile so often in so long,” Zelda noted. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with the arrival of (y/n)? They do seem like a wonderful person. I’m just glad they are having a positive effect on you.” Zelda smiled, she herself did indeed seem to like you, despite only being here for two days.

 

Link returned to his room and began to read. The first chapter told about the soldier’s feelings of self-doubt and uselessness. Link felt like he could relate a lot of what was written here, especially when the soldier went on to describe the darker emotions. He told of moments where he could not control his anger or fear and could do nothing but wait for it to end. This went on for years of the soldier’s life, until he finally made the decision to do something about it, for the sake of his family.

The soldier had written that being able to do something helpful, no matter how small, for someone you loved was the first step to dealing with these feelings. That if you can dull the more extreme emotions by actively helping others or starting a new project for yourself, then tackling them becomes a lot easier.

This was exactly what Link needed to make up his mind. He decided he would become your guide.


	7. Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOh trying to fit fluff in and i think i did okay. PLEASE tell me if i am fluffing correctly!!  
> haha

You stood patiently in the entrance hall of the castle, Zelda at your side. You had woken early, and a guard had escorted you to the dining room for breakfast. Zelda had then explained she had planned a day in Castle Town. You immediately felt your heart fill with excitement but also nervousness. Zelda had assured you that you would spend some time in the gardens, then take a walk into the town. This way you could grow used to being outside, as you hadn’t left the castle up until now.

You were waiting for Link to arrive, as Zelda had said he had some news for you. She giggled at you when you asked what it was, saying it was a surprise. You pushed out your bottom lip in protest, which just caused her to giggle more. It was then you saw Link walk into the entrance hall through a nearby doorway. He wasn’t wearing his usual plain clothing, instead was wearing a light blue shirt with white patterns around the collar. You also noticed a belt around his chest, and the handle of a sword appeared from behind his shoulder. There was renewed energy in his eyes, making them an even more enchanting colour.

“Good morning Link!” Zelda greeted him. “How are you feeling today?” She played it off as a casual interaction, but Link knew she was referring to what they had talked about the night previously.

“Just fine, thanks,” He turned towards you. “Y/n, I wanted to tell you in person. You remember how it was decided you have a guide for a while?” You nodded silently, your heart lifted in anticipation. “I’ve decided to take the role. Zelda allowed me some time to think about it first, but I would like to be able to help you both.” You smiled up at him.

“In that case, Link will you join us today? I think you two getting to know each other is a good idea” Zelda asked, and Link nodded.

“Of course, is that alright with you, y/n?” He asked.

“Please do,” You said quietly, suddenly aware of how nervous you became in front of him. You began rubbing your hands together as the thoughts of seeing outside the castle increased your anxiety levels.

“In that case,” Zelda turned towards a pair of guards, and motioned for the doors to be opened. You turned to see a bright light spill into the entrance hall. You were blinded for a moment and your chest tightened. What if the world was as scared of you as the leaders had been? What if the people thought you strange? What if they thought you didn’t deserve to be here?

Your mind was settled as the gardens came into focus. A lush green of grass and trees met your eyes, along with several beds of pink, yellow and blue wild flowers that had grown at the edges. Your hands moved to cover your mouth as your wide eyes took in the many colours outside. A large fountain, which looked relatively new, sat in the centre, a path leading connected it to the castle, winding through a stone archway at the entrance to the field. You could hear birds singing and the voices of a few other Hylians walking through the gardens.

A warm breeze tickled your face and it brought the sweet scent of flowers with it. You felt a sudden wave of familiarity.

“The flowers,” You said breathlessly, still trying to take in the colour of the sky, softness of the clouds and the small cluster of houses beyond the short walls of the garden.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Zelda replied.

“I was in a field of flowers before…” You struggled to recall the memory. “I could smell them…”

Zelda and Link were staring at you. “You remember where you were? Before you came here?” Link asked gently. You didn’t answer for a moment, and Link placed a careful hand on your shoulder. You felt where he touched you ignite with a strange energy, like sparks. It had a similar effect on you as when he had comforted you previously. You brought yourself back into focus, and Link moved his hand away.

“That’s all I remember. The gardens must have reminded me”. You heard Zelda pull a small notebook out her pocket and note something down. “Can we, go closer?” You looked at Link who just chuckled.

“Of course, you can, let’s go.” He stepped outside and began making his way down the path towards the stone arch. You began taking cautious steps, excitement taking over and breaking into a run, startling Link as you sped past him. You heard both Zelda and Link giggle.

You sped through the archway and towards the nearest patch of flowers, somehow managing to trip and fall face first into them. Link saw what happened and rushed over to find you.

“Y/n? Are you Okay?” You heard him ask as you lifted yourself up, your head and shoulders poking up through the many flowering plants, a few had decorated your hair. Link thought you looked rather adorable covered in flowers, smiling and red faced from running. He knelt, pushed a strand of stray hair from your eyes, and you calmly watched each other’s eyes for a moment. You took in the feeling of his hand grazing your cheek, heart in your throat.

Zelda caught up and knelt beside you and Link quickly retracted his hand. You were beginning to realise these intimate actions were quickly stopped when Link’s familiars appeared. Perhaps he was embarrassed, although you didn’t see why he should be. You let out a slow breath and turned you Zelda.

“You’ve got a few in your hair y/n.” Zelda began plucking them out and holding them in a tiny bunch. You watched for a moment and began to help. “It’s like a flower crown” Link sat down and crossed his legs as he watched the two of you.

“How do you make a crown from flowers?” You asked, genuinely confused about how plants could become metal. Or maybe they didn’t have to be made of metal?

“You weave the stems together, and it makes a circle of flowers that will sit on your head,” Zelda explained. “Shall we make one? I haven’t done this in so long!” She began plucking flowers with long stems and laying them in a circle. You turned to pick a small blue flower with a white centre.

“Not that one!” Zelda warned. You jumped in surprise and lost your balance, falling back into Link’s lap. You turned to find yourself nose to nose with him. He stared at you for a moment, you swear you saw a flash of red across his cheeks, before helping you up by holding your shoulders.

You felt your face heat up but quickly turned to Zelda, who had moved closer to the forbidden flower. You hoped she couldn’t see how red your face was. Link hoped so too.

“Why not that one?” You asked.

“This one is called ‘Silent Princess’. It’s very rare and we shouldn’t pick it, you don’t see these often.” She replied, as she began taking notes in her book once again. You looked again at the flower in question, it was very beautiful, and very different from the others the surrounded it.

You turned back to Link who had begun picking flowers and placing them next to you. He noticed you watching. “I thought I’d help…” He said softly. You smiled in thanks.

You spent all morning in the gardens. Zelda taught you to make a flower crown, and you both insisted on wearing them. She showed you a small pond filled with frogs and explained they could be used to make something called an elixir, which gave the drinker certain abilities. Link managed to catch one to show you, although the first thing it did was jump straight into your face, causing you to yelp. It was slimy and squishy and on your face. Link and Zelda found it hilarious. You stuck out your bottom lip at them both once the frog had hopped away.

You noticed a few unfamiliar Hylians on the far side of the garden, and Zelda explained how they were open to the people of Castle Town to use. Not long afterwards a woman came to greet Zelda, and they began discussing something you didn’t pay attention to. You assumed she was one of the townsfolk but was too engrossed in trying to match all the flowers to names Zelda had taught you. You noticed her point towards two young girls, her daughters, sat picking flowers and had managed to make what looked like a chain of them. You absent-mindedly wandered over.

“Hello” You said excitedly as you knelt beside them. They looked at you wide eyed and you suddenly got nervous, forgetting that people who didn’t know you got scared easily. You lowered your voice. “Could you tell me how you are making those strings of flowers? I’ll give you this crown I made!” You pointed to the flowers on your head. The girl’s eyes lit up and began showing you how they did it.

“Y/n?” You heard Zelda from behind you. “Y/n this is Leena, she lives in castle town”

Leena knelt next to the girls. “Look girls, this is Princess Zelda, would you like to say hello?” They turned wide eyed to see Zelda stood behind them and stood. Princess? You hadn’t realised Zelda was royalty. She certainly didn’t act like she was better than anyone, as you would expect a royal to. Maybe your understanding of a princess was limited, as Zelda certainly knew how to run a kingdom as far as you could tell.

You remembered you had promised to give them your flower crown and tapped them on their shoulders. They turned back to you and you held out the crown. “Here! I promised,” They took it and smiled shyly, before giggling and turning to Zelda.

Link watched this exchange from a distance. He couldn’t deny it was adorable, but also realised how childlike you were. It made sense, obviously, you had only been in the world 3 days and had very little experience. He couldn’t wait to see your eyes light up again and again as you discovered more and more. He watched Zelda give her flower crown to the girls as well, so they now had one each. They skipped away, as you stood and joined Leena’s conversation with Zelda.

“Leena this is a good friend of mine, Y/N. She is staying with me for a while.” Zelda explained. “y/n, Leena lives in Castle Town. I’m happy to say the townsfolk are comfortable to come to me with questions or requests, or even just to say hello.”

Leena held out her hand to you. You stared at it, then when it didn’t move, you looked at Zelda. She calmly took your hand, put it into Leena’s, and shook gently. “This is a type of greeting in Hyrule” she explained. Leena looked confused.

“Where are you from, Y/n? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t do this.” Your mouth opened but you had no idea what to say. You couldn’t tell them you had just appeared from nowhere. You looked again at Zelda who looked equally flustered.

“She’s from a small village on the south coast. It’s a little isolated and apparently they don’t get many visitors.” Link had joined in just at the right moment. You sighed and met his eyes to nod in thanks. He just smirked at you, which is something you hadn’t seen before. You felt your face grow warm again. Is that supposed to happen so often?

“The market will be starting soon, I’m sure you’d love to see it while you’re here, y/n.” Zelda played along. You agreed, and you all bid Leena good day and walked on, through a second stone archway.

Zelda explained the old Castle Town had been mostly where the gardens were, but she had decided to leave it to grow in memory of they many who fell when it was first attacked. It was rebuilt further into Hyrule field, surrounding the sacred ground ruins, which had also been restored. The town was loud, and there was so much happening you could barely keep up.

There were horses pulling carts through the streets, people walking and chatting back and forth, you could smell smoke from chimneys and bread from a bakery you had passed. All the buildings were of similar design; Stone walls and dark wooden supporting the frames, topped with wooden slats for rooves. The people stopped frequently to greet Link and Zelda. They all referred to Link as the Hero of Hyrule. You wandered what that meant and would try to remember to ask later.

Then at last you reached the market place. This was a large stone square filled with small stalls showing off many wonderful things. There were ones selling fish, cakes, jewellery, shields, arrows, bugs, clothes and more. You spent plenty of time looking at each layout before excitedly rushing to the next. They must have been from all over Hyrule, as you noticed Zora, Gerudo, Rito and even a Goron selling precious gems.

You stopped at a stall displaying several sets of clothes on mannequins. You admired a (y/f/c) dress shirt, it came down to the mid-thigh and had silver thread woven into the fabric, causing it to sparkle. The rounded collar joined at a silver button on the chest. The long sleeves ended in a neat fold, held in place by amber cuff-links.

“A wonderful eye, you have, my dear.” You turned to find a young Gerudo watching you admire the shirt. “If you are interested, it will cost you 250 rupees.” You nodded and thanked her but had no idea what a rupee was. Link appeared next to you and looked over your shoulder.

“It certainly would suit you,” He said, bringing yet another blush to your cheeks. “I can lend you some rupees if you like? It’s our currency, how we pay for things. Although sometimes you can trade items for other things besides rupees.”

“Thank you that’s sweet of you, but I would feel bad knowing I had taken something you had earned.” You looked back at the shirt. “Perhaps if I could earn myself enough…”

“I can teach you if you like? I generally earn rupees through odd jobs and helping others, or trading things you can forage.” He continued. “If we are going to be travelling, you should learn how to find food for yourself as well.”

“I’d like that,” You smiled, and a wave of self-confidence over took you, and you turned to face Link again. “I’ll be honest, I’m looking forward to being able to spend so much time with you.” Your cheeks caught fire when you heard yourself saying this out loud, but you were glad you did.

The shy smile that Link gave you in return was a wonderful sight. “I think I am as well, y/n,”

Those words stayed with you even as you all began travelling back to the castle, and you still couldn’t stop thinking about Link’s wonderful smile once you climbed into bed. You were glad that you could make him happy, even while the lines under his eyes suggested otherwise. You wanted to find out the reason for his lack of sleep, but for now were content in the very least being able to keep his mind off it. You drifted off to sleep imagining more ways to make him smile.


	8. The Self

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF. FLUFFITY FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF.

It had been several weeks since your first trip to Castle Town. Unfortunately, you hadn’t seen much of Link during that time, although you treasured the time you did manage to spend together. Zelda had organised you a strict timetable of lessons and training and was determined to give you the best set up for travelling. She explained you would eventually be visiting various settlements in Hyrule to learn about the people, as part of the plan to integrate you into Hyrule society.

You had a wonderful memory and learned fast, drinking in information from books Zelda lent you, from the ancient text you helped her translate and even the odd facts she provided. Such as various social norms you had to employ so as not to seem rude. You learnt of Zelda and Links pre-determined destiny to fight Ganon, and the legend of the reincarnation of a Goddess and a Champion. This explained why the townsfolk had referred to Link as the Hero of Hyrule, but it did nothing but further your respect for the both of them. Being told your whole life you are living for one particular purpose must have been hard on them both.

You had also been given combat training in sword fighting, and basic hand to hand combat. You had made friends with several of the guards you saw day to day, as well as during said training. The cooks quickly learned your favourite snacks and had even begun saving them for you when you finished a training session. The whole castle had become fond of you - no one gave you strange looks anymore, and no one questioned your motives anymore. This gave you increased levels of self-confidence and allowed you to begin exploring your own personality. You were slowly becoming more and more established as a person, and Link was repeatedly shocked by your fast-developing self.

He kept his promise and on a handful of evenings had taken you out into Hyrule field to show you how to forage and even read maps to navigate. He helped you with anything from mastering a particular move in your training or answering questions that left holes in your thoughts. He was exceedingly patient and caring, despite still struggling with sleeping. You still hadn’t had chance to ask him about his worries, but in the few hours a week you spent with him on these nights, you had gotten to know him well.

Link had in fact, been doing a lot better in retrospect. His feelings of uselessness and the dreaded sense of being lost that had lingered over him began to dissipate, and some nights even managed to fall asleep before his thoughts overtook him and once again found himself in panic. He continued to read the memoirs of the soldier Zelda had given him, which continued to provide him with an understanding of his feelings.

The soldier had written of his frustration in lack of progress in healing his mind, despite getting up every day with a positive outlook. He wrote of a time were he almost completely relapsed into drifting through the days all but numb. But managed to work through it. This happened over and over again, but each time the soldier wrote of reminding himself of why he was living – for his family, for his friends, for his writings and for whoever might find solace in them. Link hadn’t yet hit such a wall but understood the frustration the soldier felt with lack of progress.

 

About a month into your life in Hyrule, you, Zelda, Link and a few guards stood at the entrance to Castle Town in the early evening, watching a carriage pulled by horses roll down the road, taking Impa and a few others from the Sheikah tribe home. They were the last of the representatives to leave after a good few weeks of meetings with Zelda discussing new arrangements of trade and positions of power. They had all agreed they would be happy for Zelda to remain leader of Hyrule, but she insisted on their input regarding interactions between settlements. You watched for a moment longer, as the sun sunk lower in the sky, still wandering what lay beyond Hyrule field. You couldn’t wait to see all you had learned about.

Link broke your train of thought with a gentle push to your shoulder. “Your ready to go y/n?” He shot you a playful grin and moved to mount his horse stood outside the gates. The large horse was a hazelnut brown with a cream coloured mane and tail, he had named him Fera.

“Absolutely!” You turned to pull yourself onto your own horse. She was a dark chocolate brown with similar coloured mane and tail, called Layra. She was rather difficult to catch and break in, but after Link had spent so much time helping you catch her, you insisted on keeping her and treated her to apples often. You both took off in a race to make it to a small tree you normally met under, at the end of Hyrule field.

You practically jumped from your saddle and rolled through the grass, stopping at the base of the large tree, giggling wildly. Link followed suit but managed to stick the landing perfectly.

“Show off,” You jabbed, short of breath and red faced. He smirked at you with his hands on his hips.

“You wanted to practice the sparring move?” He asked. You nodded and got to your feet, walking a bit further out into the open and taking your stance. Link took his sword belted to his back, unbuckling it and placing it at the base of the tree. You had been practising this move with your trainer – head of the guard, Dathahl– for hours today and still could not get it. It involved dodging a punch from your opponent with a side step and using their momentum against them to tackle them down to the floor. But you kept falling over yourself. Link walked out in front of you and also took stance.

“Ready?” Link said. You nodded, and he wasted no time in stepping towards you, swiftly aiming a punch at your face. You dodged easily, having honed your perceptive skills quickly in training, shocking many of the guards who helped you practice. You lifted your knee to Link’s stomach, but he rolled to the side and out of the way, once again landing perfectly on his feet, returning to stance.

You stuck out your bottom lip in frustration and received an evil grin in return. You refused to let the blush this caused you to show, and instead moved forward to punch Link in the chest. He blocked you easily and moved to return a punch to the gut. You dodged and pushed his blocking arm, and he began to fell in the direction of his attack. You saw a moment of shock in his eyes as he realised you had done it, but you once again lost your balance and fell towards him.

Link rolled forward as you landed harshly on your side. Link bent over your face as you looked up at him, looking down at you. “You almost had it, few more times and you’ll get it.” Link always encouraged you no matter what, and you really appreciated his commitment to you. You stood and playfully pushed him back as another smirk covered his mouth.

A few more rounds of your attempt to pull Link to the floor ended in failure. You felt frustration creep into the back of your head and your jaw clenched as you pulled yourself from the ground again. You let out a frustrated cry and turned once again to face Link.

“Don’t let anger take over y/n, you know it just makes things more difficult.” He was right. You closed your eyes for a second and cleared your head, opening them and let out a steady breath.

Link advanced to punch your face, and you batted his arm to the side, pushing him away. You turned swiftly to face his back and he rolled to the side again to return to his feet. You always got annoyed at the unnecessary number of rolls he used when fighting. He shot you another evil grin and you managed to keep your face straight, admiring the increased amount of energy he had gained over the past month. Whatever had been plaguing him before your arrival, he was obviously working against it.

You stepped forward and Link aimed a fist at your left side, you noticed he leaned back slightly in order to balance himself. You dodged his fist and lifted your knee, and this time pushed in the direction he was leaning. He took a step back and you swung a kick at his ankle as he did, resulting in him falling backwards.

“Yes! I did it! Finally!” You raised your hands above your head and jumped around.

“Ouch,” You turned to watch him lying on his back with his face scrunched up in pain. He rubbed the back of his head and you immediately felt bad, kneeling down beside him. He sat up slightly, not realising it would put him nose to nose with you, your face covered in worry.

“I’m sorry, are you alright?” You felt your heart rate quicken as his eyes flicked from your (y/e/c) eyes to your soft lips, just for a second.

“Yeah, y-yeah just fine. You just startled me.” He replied. You noticed a slight waver in his voice as his eyes became partially lidded, watching you intently. He took his hand from the back of his head and reached out to stroke the side of your face with the back of his finger. You felt familiar sparks dance across your skin where Link’s hand met your cheek. You remained still as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear, enjoying the intimate moment.

Link retracted his hand him looked away quickly, his cheeks visibly burning bright red. You felt heat covering your own cheeks and ears and stood back up. Link pulled himself up as well, keeping his back to you for a second. You felt incredibly awkward. Link let out a forced cough to break the silence.

“Well done y/n,” He turned and moved to his horse, reaching to open a saddle bag. “I’m impressed at how quickly you’ve gotten through your training.” He continued to rummage in the bag and you waited patiently. He took out a small package wrapped in a cloth and moved back to where you were stood. He sat down and patted the ground next to you, still avoiding your eyes. You complied and sat down, legs crossed.

He placed the small package on his leg and opened it, revealing two honeyed apples. You squealed with delight, these were your favourite.

“Here, one for you, one for me,” Link said calmly. Handing one of the sweet fruits to you, and you took it happily. You took a bite, leaning back on your free hand, taking in the calm scenery of Hyrule field. You glanced at Link who was doing the same, and you sat comfortably in silence for a while. You tipped your head back to look at the stars. They were probably your favourite discovery, having first seen them on your first outing with Link. They were sparkling gently against a deep blue sky.

You looked back towards the castle as you finished your treat, licking your fingers in turn to get the last bits of honey. Link found himself awkwardly staring, and he silently thanked Hylia you weren’t paying attention to him. His heart stopped, and he watched your tongue move against your hand, face burning red, feeling a slight shiver down his spine.

He shook his head and pulled his gaze away, as slightly more inappropriate images entered his head. This was definitely not where his mind should be right now, especially while he was supposed to guarding you. He rubbed his eyes and hoped to the Goddesses you couldn’t hear the drumming of his heart as loudly as he could.

“Oh no…” You said softly. You sounded worried and he turned towards you. He noticed you staring in shock towards the castle.

Tall pillars of black smoke were rising from the eastern edge of Castle Town, a dull yellow light reflecting off the walls of the closer building to you. You heard a distant scream and immediately both you and Link jumped to your feet and ran for your horses, Link picking up his sword on the way.

Castle Town was on fire.


	9. The Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OH NO! Castle Town! Link! Reader! Things happening!

Link couldn’t move. He could feel his heart hammering in his aching chest, but his vision was blurry. He could see moving shapes of people running past him, flashes of red and yellow and echoes of screams that sounded very far away. His entire body was rigid, and he could feel his insides churning and tears flowing down his face. He could feel all this yet was entirely numbed.

He was vaguely aware of someone calling for him, but he was to busy with the pictures racing through his mind. It was like a strange dream, or nightmare – images of falling buildings, unconscious bodies, faces covered in blood, screaming people. It couldn’t be real, it couldn’t possibly be happening.

 

You and Link rushed through the narrow streets towards a group of guards directing large groups of people away from the flames. You noticed Link turn down a side street, in an effort to help elsewhere. You turned back to the guards, one of them carrying a young man, half conscious, a large cut on his forehead. You felt your chest tighten in fear, eyes darting down the street as you heard more shouting. The guards heard too and rushed further towards the fire, you followed.

“The east side is almost completely evacuated, and the west has been warned, we need to prioritise moving the young and injured to the town square!” One of the senior guards was shouting over the crowds of people, as they tried to push against them.

You wanted to help but they weren’t moving fast enough. You saw a large crate next to a house to your right, pulled yourself on top of it and onto the roof. The newly built town was almost fully visible looking down, and you could see the orange glow of fire had already covered at least five buildings. You noticed guards at the rivers trying to carry buckets of water to put out some of the smouldering homes. You couldn’t think of a way to put out the flames, but knew you were stronger than a lot of the Townsfolk, deciding to help with evacuation. You jumped across the gaps between buildings with ease, the air growing warmer and drier the further you went.

You noticed Link in the streets below running parallel to you. He made eye contact with you, pointing to his chest then south, then at you and to the north. You nodded and turned North, sliding down a slanted roof and rolled onto the ground. You coughed as smoke filled your lungs and you ran forwards, turning a corner to find a crumbling burning, blazing bright. You skidded to a stop as the left most wall began to fall with a loud crash. There was a sharp scream coming from inside. You jumped through the doorway avoiding the flames that crept up the front wall. You looked around quickly to find a small girl sat beside a man, who lay face down underneath a large wooden beam. You pushed the beam, but it wouldn’t budge, you gave the girl a panicked look.

“You need to get out, you’ll get hurt!” You made yourself heard over the roar of flames, but she just tightened her grip on the man’s arms, crying loudly. You heard a loud creak and a few small chunks of debris fell from the ceiling. You bent over to shield the young girls head, then you both looked up and noticed a crack appearing in the ceiling, a few flimsy wooden beams now holding up the burning roof. You quickly glanced through the large opening where the left wall had been for help, catching site of a few guards running your direction.

The ceiling gave another loud groan and you began to panic, heart in you throat and beating fast. Sweat fell down your face in the heat of the flames as you looked at the tears spilling from the young girl’s eyes. You stood and looked back at the guards. They weren’t going to get here in time. You saw the wooden beams burn through and your arms moved above your head to prepare for the impact.

But it never came. Your eyes were screwed shut and you were trembling, stomach threatening to empty itself. You slowly opened your eyes but refused to relax your tensed limbs. You looked up to find the large chunk of ceiling coated in a thin layer of translucent blue light, resting comfortably in your hands. You stayed as still as possible and looked towards a pair of guards, nodding towards to girl and trapped man. They snapped out of their bewilderment and helped them escape the building.

You were scared to move, in case something bad were to happen. You held your breath and set the chuck of debris down, as if it were no heavier than a blade of grass. You noticed the fire that had coated it had disappeared, as if the light that surrounded it was able to cool it. You moved your hands away and the light dissipated. You were so very confused, but in the adrenaline running through your veins told you to move fast, so you ran out of the building and towards another.

Whatever this strange ability was, you managed to use it again several times. It seemed you could channel the energy to cover heavy rubble, freezing them into a solid object, allowing you to lift them away with minimal efforts. You helped uncover buried people, keep buildings from collapsing and even moved debris to unblock streets.

You had just moved a large chunk of wall from blocking a road, allowing guards to escort several people away from the danger, when you caught sight of Link. He was stood staring into the bright flames that completely engulfed the house before him. His face was blank, tears falling down his face. He was shaking, clearly unaware of his surroundings.

You ran towards him after checking there was no one else that needed help. You stood in front of him, grabbing his shoulders and shook him. His eyes remained glazed over and overflowing with tears, jaw clenched. You felt your stomach lurch as you realised the fear Link must have been feeling and turned to glance at the house nearest to you. Part of the wall fell with a large crash and debris flew towards you. You covered your face, but Link remained motionless.

“Link we need to go!” His eyes looked in your direction, but he said nothing. You shook his shoulders again and began to panic. You had managed to get so many people out of danger but why couldn’t you help Link?

“Link please!” You were screaming in his face shaking him violently, tears began streaming down your face as the fear took over and panic set in. The heat from the flaming buildings now surrounding you was burning your skin, you had lost sight of a way to safety, and could hear nothing but the roar of fire. You desperately tried to move him, but your newfound ability didn’t seem to work on him, and you were not strong enough to push against his locked muscles.

“Link…” You said, hand trembling as you laced your fingers with his and lent your head against his chest, screwing your eyes shut. You couldn’t just go and didn’t have the strength to move him.

You slammed your fist into Link’s chest in frustration, and felt his hand tighten around your other. You looked up and his eyes began darting around quickly.

“Link! Link we have to move we need to get out of her-,” You both ducked as a building to your right collapsed sending fire out into the air. Link moved to shield you and pulled you away, arms over your head as you ducked between two buildings and made it out to the riverside.

You fell to your knees once you were far enough away from the blaze, Link doubled over a few feet away and threw up on the ground. You looked around in panic, to find someone who could help him. Your breathing was faster than it had ever been, and your throat was raw from shouting and inhaling harsh smoke.

You looked North towards the castle and saw a hoard of guardians carrying enormous barrels of water towards the town. You watched while relief washed over you, the guardians making short work of the fires still burning. You turned back to Link who was now sat up, his knees tucked against his chest, sobbing quietly. You stood and slowly approached him.

“Link...” He didn’t respond, and you reached down to touch his shoulder. He flinched and turned his face away.

“Please, y/n, just…” His voice broke as he spoke through tears. “I can’t…”

You sat in front of him patiently as he continued to sob. You don’t remember how long you sat there, watching the smoke in the Town turn to white as the flames subsided. All you knew was you couldn’t leave him alone.

You watched him closely as he began to calm down, slowly moving closer until you were shoulder to shoulder. He began to grow tired and leaned against your shoulder, all energy drained from his body. You gently wrapped your arm around his shoulders.

“You’re safe Link,” You croaked out a whisper and began to stroke his hair. You noticed ash and dust was smeared across his face, you doubted you were in any better shape. Thoughts were speeding through your mind, about the fire, screaming people, finding Link frozen in fear and even how the guards had stared at you with worried looks when you demonstrated your strange ability.

Link felt his numb body relax into you. It took a while, but he felt his heart rate slow to normal. His lips were chapped and eyes red and puffy. He was dizzy, dazed, and humiliated. He wasn’t even sure what had happened. How did he let himself get so afraid of a fire? He had fought Moblins, Bokoblins, Lionels and even Ganon without such intense fear. Years of dread, sleeplessness and feeling like he was worth nothing but dirt under a boot had caught up with him again, and he allowed himself to pass out. Safe in your arms, he fell into a dreamless sleep.


	10. The Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FLooooUUff  
> Nothing much happens in this but Link needed cuddles. FROM READER :D

Link opened his eyes slowly, blinking in the soft light of his room. He was led on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His chest ached as he took in a deep shaky breath, the memories of the fire flooding his mind. He felt guilt, shame, embarrassment - it was you who had to protect him while he was supposed to be your guardian and it made him feel ill. He turned his head towards the fireplace.

His room was small but beautifully decorated. The fireplace held intricate carvings, as did the posts of his double bed. The small window at the end of his room let in the early morning sunshine and cast a light over the small two seated sofa facing the fire. On the opposite side of the room was a small door leading to a bathroom, beside which was a large set of drawers and an ornate shield mounted to the wall.

Link turned to study the few personal items he kept on the top of the drawers. There was a pressed flower in a frame Zelda had given him as a gift, alongside a drawing of Sidon and Mipha she had given him more than a century ago. It was faded, but Sidon had kept it safe just for him. He also had a small collection of gems collected by Yunobo for him, and a jar of silver and gold rupees he had saved but never found a use for. His favourite possession however had to be the small string of flowers you had woven together for him.

He thought back to that first day you had spent outside. He had enjoyed watching Zelda and you making flower crowns and the young girls teaching you to make the flower chains. He remembered the rush of heat to his face when you had smiled up at him from within the bed of flowers, cheeks red and eyes bright with enthusiasm. He felt a small smile cross his lips before another wave of guilt washed over him. Whatever his feelings surrounding you were made up of, it certainly included a large portion of regret.

He turned back to the fireplace and sat up to stretch, trying to ignore the weight in his stomach. He noticed his clothes had been changed to thin beige shirt and trousers. His ears twitched as a quiet shuffling noise came from the chair. Link realised someone was sat there, and he carefully stood to look who it was.

It was you, sleeping soundly. You still had soot from the fire smudged over your face, several tears in your clothes and small scratches on your skin. A large woollen blanket was wrapped around your shoulders. Link realised you must have stayed with him since he passed out, and he immediately felt the tightness in his chest worsen. There was no need for you to care for him, he couldn’t even do his job properly. He felt useless.

You wriggled in your sleep and Link was woken from his thoughts. He settled next to you in the sofa and let his head rest against the back of the chair. It calmed him to see you so peaceful, chest rising and falling steadily. The torrent of sickening emotions in his mind settled enough for him to sleep, heart filled with a mixture of endearment and dread.

 

You woke sometime around midday, to bright sunshine streaming in through the window. You realised you were lead on something soft but couldn’t remember falling asleep with a pillow. You suddenly felt it move and you turned to come nose to nose with Link. You realised he must have moved next to you without you knowing, and you had moved onto him in your sleep. He looked equally as confused as yourself.

Links eyes had deep lines underneath and he was pale, much like how he was when you had first met. He studied you with a blank expression on his face. You remained shoulder to shoulder despite your heart beating out of your chest. You tried to focus your thoughts and looked down at your clasped hands. Link must be feeling incredibly confused and embarrassed, so you decided to try to explain what happened.

“I- I, uh,” Your voice seemed so loud in the awkward silence. “Some medics checked up on you after you passed out.” You cast a nervous glance in his direction, he was sat very still and staring out the window. “They cleaned you up a bit, but apparently you weren’t hurt and just needed a rest. I thought I would keep an eye on you seeing as you seemed so…” You tried to find the right word.

“Broken.” He said. You turned wide eyed to him, his face in his hands with his elbows balanced on his knees.

“Link… I…” You couldn’t think of any words to comfort him. You wandered if perhaps there weren’t always words to describe everything. You felt sad, frustrated, angry, all at once. You felt like holding Link close to show him he was worth more than he clearly thought. So you did.

You wrapped your arm around his back and took his hands in the other, pulling him towards you as you sat back in the chair. He cautiously lay his head on your shoulder, his breath against the crook of your neck. You gently put your chin against his head and held him tightly. His body remained stiff for a moment, worried he may hurt you, but slowly relaxed. His arm carefully wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer. He let out was felt like a sigh of relief, as a few tears fell from his eyes.

“You’re safe Link. You’re okay and everything is okay.” You gently spoke kind words to him as he settled into your arms. Your heart was racing and every inch of contact between you and Link sent sparks through you, but you knew this was more important.

 

You spent the next hour sat together, cuddled up close. It certainly made Link feel a lot better, though he refused to let his thoughts run wild. You were just comforting him that’s all. Meanwhile, many of the negative feelings he harboured had washed away. He even let out a small giggle when your stomach gurgled in hunger.

He sat up slowly and your hands grabbed your stomach. “Let’s get some food y/n, you sound hungry,” He flashed a cheeky grin as your stomach growled again. You giggled and stood to open the door, Link close behind.

 

You entered the empty dining hall, realising you had missed the midday meal and the kitchen was also deserted. Link lead you both into the small cooking area and you stopped in the doorway. He began lighting a fire under a large pan in the fireplace but stopped to look up at you, confused.

“I don’t know how to make food.” You said. You realised you sounded like a bit of an idiot, as you knew even Zelda knew how to make food. So far you had just eaten it.

Link continued to light the fire. “Guess I’ll teach you. You remember the curry?” He turned back to you and smiled at your enormous grin. You moved to Link’s side and you began cooking.

Soon a large pot of curry was bubbling away in the large pot, you stood over it and stirred gently, as Link had told you. You had enjoyed carrying out the small domestic tasks with him, as you hadn't had much time to learn to do normal everyday things. You decided you very much enjoyed cooking and had asked Link to teach you more recipes. He came over to check on you while he let some rice cook in a separate pan. He peered over your shoulder.

“Make sure it doesn’t stick to the edges.” He said quietly, reaching around you to place his hand over yours on the spoon. You felt his chest against your back as he lent further forward to reach the other side of the pot, seemingly unaware of how flustered it was making you. Your heart jumped in your chest as he placed his free hand on your hip to steady himself. He turned to look at you and his own heart stopped when he saw the bright blush on your face. You cautiously met his eyes.

You watched his eyes flick over your lips and back and you realised how close he was to you. You had both stopped stirring and electricity sparked through your overlapping hands. Link felt like his head might explode with the thoughts flying through his mind, anxiety setting in as he feared he may upset you. When you didn’t move, he swallowed and dared to move closer.

He brought your hand up to his lips and planted a gentle kiss upon it. You thought you might die there and then, just a few weeks into your life.

“Thank you, y/n.” He didn’t need to explain what he was thanking you for, you knew. You had sat with him after he froze, while he cried and while he was hurt. You didn’t have to say anything after all, you just had to be there for him. Your entire body was tingling with joy, but you wanted to make sure he understood something.

“Link, I won’t ask why all that happened to you, and I won’t ever ask if that’s what you want. But when you are ready, I will try my best to help, no matter what.” You looked up at him with a reassuring smile, to find him red-faced with a shy smile across his lips.

You could have sworn Link had begun to lean closer to you but stopped quickly when you heard someone enter the kitchen. He gently pulled his arms away and turned to continue stirring the forgotten curry. You turned, extremely flustered and a little embarrassed, to face the two guards in the doorway. You recognised them from your training sessions.

“Dane, Markus, is everything okay?” You said while crossing your arms.

“I’m sorry y/n, but a lot of the Towns folk got scared after the other night, and… well…” Dane looked to the floor. “They are scared of you, y/n.”

Link shot a sharp look at the guards over his shoulder. You began to panic. Of course, your new ability - you had no idea what other abilities you had and still weren’t sure if you could control any of it. Many people had seen you lift large portions of damn buildings it was obvious they would worry. But all you had done was help people - save people’s lives. You stared down at your hands as questions filled your brain.

The guards stepped towards you and you stepped back, and Link moved in front of you.

“Zelda has asked they be brought to the town square.” Said Markus, clearly intimidated by Link’s stare.

“Allow me.” Link said sternly. He took your arm and slowly walked you from the kitchen. You were shaking - angry and upset. Link had no idea why the Towns folk would be scared of you, but he would make sure none of them laid a finger on you. This was his chance to do his job properly, even if it did involve keeping others safe from you.

Link threw the spoon at Dane’s chest as he passed. “Don’t burn it.”


	11. The Kingdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angry people and Link being snoft  
> Dilemmmmmmas but not much happens really. Hopefully next chapter will contain smut???? opinion??? would you guys think smut would fit in????

The sky outside was a deep grey and heavy rain had already begun to fall, as Link lead you out through the castle entrance. The guards cast you worried glances as you held tightly onto Links arm. You were both soaked through by the time you had left the gardens, clothes sticking to your skin and hair clung to your face. You could see a small gathering of damp Townsfolk crowded around Zelda and a group of soldiers, just at the edge of the town square. Many of them had bandages and injuries remaining from the previous fire. Guilt filled your stomach and it made you feel sick seeing them suffer. You could hear loud chattering within the small crowd as you approached the soldiers. Link lead you to Zelda’s side and she nodded in greeting.

“I’m sorry to have to bring you both out here, but I need to reassure everyone.” She shook her head slightly, a tired expression on her face. “Someone saw an outsider in a mask before the fire broke out. Y/n is still relatively new to these people and they became wary. Their claims are ridiculous, but they are scared and looking for something to blame.” Zelda took your hands and looked into your face. “I’ve heard from several soldiers you have a special ability, to move large objects as if they were air, correct?”

You glance at Link who was staring back at you, wide eyed. Your stomach twisted. “Yes… but I didn’t hurt anyone, I just wanted to save them, I stopped a roof falling a-and I would never start a fire I -”

“I don’t doubt you, y/n. Not for a second.” Zelda squeezed your hands. “But I have to ask – did you start the fire?” She had a very serious expression on her face, stark against the dark sky.

“No.” You said firmly. Zelda nodded, released your hands and turned to the crowd of Townsfolk.

“Good afternoon everyone.” Her voice was strong and commanding, but also calm. The large group of people turned to give her their attention. “I have been given several important pieces of information that you deserve to hear. The first being a stranger was seen wearing plain clothing and a black mask, near the origin of the fire minutes before it broke out.” Several murmurs came from the crowd, made inaudible by the rain crashing into the ground.

“Not only that, but my good friend Y/N displayed some extraordinary abilities. Many of you witnessed them lifting large pieces of rubble and building. So, have decided this makes them a threat.” The crowd was silent for a moment.

“Y/N did not start the fire and has no intention to use these abilities against anyone. They had no idea they possessed such powers before now and will continue to practice them, until they can fully control them.” You watched the faces in the crowd as Zelda spoke. A lot of them were angry, hopefully at the stranger rather than you.

“How do you know?”

The voice came from the crowd, a young woman you didn’t recognise. Zelda craned her neck to see who spoke. “Excuse me?”

“How do you know they won’t hurt us?” She said. “They just showed up a few weeks ago. What if they are an intruder? An outsider?” She looked terrified and glanced at you several times as she spoke. Your stomach twisted again – you hadn’t meant to frighten anyone. The crowd began chattering once again about the claim.

Zelda stood in silence for a moment. She looked back at you quickly and then once again addressed the crowd.

She began to explain where you had come from, hoping to clarify the origin of such powers. She told them of the Ancient’s hall and your lack of memories before-hand, as well as your ability to read ancient. A lot of the crowd held confused looks in disbelief of the story when she had finished. You held your breath and waiting for their response. Link stepped closer to you when he noticed your tense stance.

“It’s impossible. How can an entire grown person just appear from nowhere?” an older gentleman from the crowd shouted, triggering more chattering from the Townsfolk. You had hoped they would understand now, but perhaps for someone who hadn’t seen you appear, it would be confusing. Arguments broke out and shouting erupted from the crowd.

Just then a young man stepped forward from the crowd, which quietened down as he cleared his throat.

“Princess, my name is Dylan.” He seemed nervous but gestured to a young girl next to him. “This is my daughter, Call.” You recognised them as the pair you had saved from a collapsing roof - your power had helped you save their lives and your heart filled with hope.

“I had lost consciousness before we could escape our home. Part of the wall had fallen and knocked me out. My daughter was trapped next to me and the roof was about to collapse.” He turned to you.

“Y/N tried to free me but was too late. Regardless of their ability they used themselves to shield me and my daughter, from something they knew would likely kill them.” The crowd was stunned into silence and you smiled at him. Link placed a hand on your shoulder and smiled towards you, proudly.

Dylan turned to the crowd. “Y/N did nothing but their best to help us in that fire, and the discovery of their powers saved my daughter’s life. I will forever be grateful to them.” He turned back to Zelda, members of the crowd nodding, seemingly satisfied with the tale. Although a small group, including the young woman who had spoken out against you, remained sceptical.

“Thankyou, I think that puts that issue to rest. Now if anyone has more information on the stranger who started the fire, please come forward.” Zelda continued.

There was silence for a moment, rain slashing into your back and shoulders as you shiver. You felt relieved but uneasy - they no longer feared you, but you were once again a strange anomaly. Nervous glances from the crowd had your heart sinking. Just as you felt like you were normal, like you had managed to fit in, you fell out of place.

A voice woke you from your thoughts. “There was a symbol on their back.”

A young girl stepped forward cautiously, only about ten or eleven years old. Zelda knelt beside her.

“What did it look like?” Zelda spoke gently, pulling out a notebook and pencil for her to draw. The young girl took the pencil and began drawing. You leaned slightly to peek at the image, which you recognised a the Yiga clan symbol – an upside-down eye. But then they girl drew a thick dark line horizontally through it.

“You are absolutely sure?” Zelda asked. The girl nodded.

“They were hiding from a guard behind my house. They didn’t see me, but I got a good look at them.” Zelda thanked her, and she sped back to her parents. Zelda studied the drawing, looking as confused as you felt.

“Anyone with more information please speak to any of the guards on patrol. Repairs to the damaged buildings are underway, and a new perimeter wall will be built in order to prevent further attacks. Please be wary of the guardians as they work. Thank you everybody, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.” She turned sharply and made her way back towards the castle, followed by several guards.

Link was confused. A lot had happened he was unaware of and a stream of questions poured into his mind. He turned to you with a concerned look, but seeing your tired expression, he decided to leave it until later. You sniffled and shivered again in the rain, so he took your arm and dragged you towards the castle.

“Hey, you alright?” He asked through the harsh rain.

“Yes, just a little tired.” You smiled up at him and immediately noticed a mischievous smirk that came over his face. “What?”

Link grinned and grabbed your waist, chucking you over his shoulder. You squealed in surprise and gently punched his back and kicked your legs, giggling wildly.

“Guess I’ll carry you back if your tired!” He said and began striding up to the castle.

“Link! Why!? Put me down!” You shrieked through giggles, but Link just carried on.

“The child is tired and weak! I shall carry them home through the treacherous weather!” Link put on a deep, mocking voice and flexed his free arm. Your stomach began to hurt from laughter, and you continued laughing until you entered the castle.

Link placed you down in the entrance hall gently and moved wet hair from you face.

“I love to make you laugh, y/n.” Link smiled fondly, not really realising what he’d said. You smiled up at him, heart fluttering, cheeks red from laughter and head spinning due to the short distance between you. You suddenly realised how confused he must be after hearing about your powers.

“About what Zelda mentioned… the abilities? I can explain what happened after I lost sight of you, it was so sudden, and I had no idea-” Link stopped you, mid-sentence.

“Y/N, it’s okay, it’s not your fault. You can explain everything later, but we should probably go wash up.” He gestured at your wet clothes. “Maybe get changed too, before dinner.”

You nodded, thinking how badly you wanted a nice hot bath right now. Link held his arm out for you to take again and lead you back to your room. On the way, you asked about the Yiga clan.

“I thought you defeated their leader, why would they still be able to pull off something this big?” You said, concerned.

“The symbol was different from the Yiga, I think this is something more powerful.” Link replied but noticed your worried expression. “Zelda has put in good measures to keep everyone safe, and we have already had many new recruits in the guards. Everyone will be fine.” He squeezed your arm in comfort.

“Zelda will want it investigated I suppose.” You say quietly.

“Perhaps it’s a good chance for us to begin travelling? Kill two birds with one stone?” Link suggested. You nodded in agreement as you reached your room.

“I’ll see you later, I’m going to have a nice hot bath!” You smile and open your door. Link held up a hand as goodbye.

Once the door had closed, Link rubbed his eyes, trying to rid his mind of thoughts of you bathing. He felt his cheeks heat up and headed back to his room.


	12. The Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A TAD bit of smut. just a tad. a tease. a tickle. did i smut okay?  
> enjoy!

Link made it back to his room, closed the door behind him and sighed. He’d been trying to keep you from getting into his head, but the image of your wonderful bare figure sinking into a hot bubble bath would not disappear. He tried to focus on getting clean before dinner and turned towards the bathroom.

Soon a large kettle of water was heating over the fire in Link’s room while he began removing his cold damp clothing. He threw his boots and shirt to the side and peeled his trousers and underwear from his skin.  He picked up the kettle and took it to the small bathtub in the bathroom to fill it with warm water. He climbed in and sunk back into the gentle heat, relaxing the tense muscles in his body.

He had a lot of thinking to do, and the bath seemed like the best place to do it. He was still confused about you and what you meant to him. You were his friend, most definitely. The past month or so had been his brightest in a long time and had helped him repair his mind greatly. Apart from the episode during the fire, he had begun to feel like his old self again. The black out had frustrated him immensely, but that was not what he was trying to figure out right now.

Link had many friends, but he hadn’t wanted to spend time with someone so much in a long time. The way he felt about you reminded him of his relationship with Mipha. Link and Mipha had never really amounted to anything, there was never time. But he remembered caring for her like no one else and was destroyed to hear she had been defeated by Calamity Ganon. After he had freed her spirit, his heart was put to rest and he hadn’t found an interest in anyone new, until now.

He supposed a lot of the confusion was because he hadn’t been in love for so long. He couldn’t remember what being in love was like, and it had hit him straight in the face without him even knowing. He was in love with you and it made him panic.

Had he been obvious? Had anyone else noticed? Did you even feel the same way? Did you even know or understand love? What if there was someone else?

He scrunched his eyes shut and rubbed his face with his palms. He took in a deep breath to calm his anxieties and sat back in the tub to sigh.

You were so fascinating to him. He thought over your features; shining y/h/l y/h/c hair, sparkling y/e/c eyes that would grow bright whenever you saw something new or exciting. He loved seeing you smile at the smallest things, he loved how innocent you were and how kind and nonjudgmental you were. He loved teaching you what he knew, it would fill him with joy knowing you appreciated him. That was probably what made him fall for you.

Link allowed his mind to wander a little more, thinking back to the few times he had trained with you. You were remarkably fit and agile and had frequently taken his breath away by demonstrating strength and tactical ability. He was ashamed to say that a few more precarious tackling moves you had practised together had led to less than innocent thoughts. You would be lent over him, face red and sweating, breathing heavily and eyes lidded with tiredness. He wished to the Goddesses he had just flipped you over and put his lips to your neck.

Link shook his head. He hadn’t been so aroused in so long it shocked him. He forgot how inappropriate his mind could be and felt guilt creep into his gut. He thought for a moment about possibly dealing with the growing problem between his legs, but it had been a few years since he’d even had the urge to touch himself. He felt like an innocent boy again.

The images of you in the bath came back to him again. Your bare shoulders shivering as your head tilted backwards, legs lent either side of the bath tub and one arm leading between them. His hand wandered down his abdomen and stopped just above the base of his partial erection.

“No. Nope, not yet. No not ever.” Link stood in the bath and let the cold air cool his heated body. He quickly dried himself and dressed himself, guilt eating away at his gut. He double checked himself for anything that might give away his scandalous thoughts and headed out for dinner. It was early, but he knew if he spent anymore time on his own, he would end up doing something he’d regret.

He had no idea if you even understood sex or arousal, so why let himself give in to anything related to you until he was sure? It was likely you didn’t have any romantic or sexual feelings for Link, he already demonstrated how weak and useless he was. He didn’t deserve you.

 

He reached the dining room and greeted the cooks who were busy setting up the kitchen. They told him the curry they had left was taken to the recently homeless Townsfolk who had been housed in a barn while repairs were to be made. Link was grateful they had made use of it in such a way. He sat down and decided to read more of the soldier’s diary Zelda had given him. He had to at least try and keep his mind off you.

Slowly the room filled with a few soldiers and maids, before Zelda seated herself opposite Link with a quiet greeting. She noticed Link reading the book and smiled. She had been so proud of Link’s development and the hard work he had put into himself. Though she worried for his recovery after his reported black out during the fire. She remained silent and decided to give him some time to think it over for himself.

“Y/n is going to miss dinner if they don’t arrive soon.” Zelda said cheerily. Links ears turned pink at the mention of your name as his imagination took him back to his earlier bath.

“They said they were going to wash up, I doubt they will be too much longer.” Link added, keeping his eyes purposely fixed on his book.

Just then you entered the dining hall, face finally cleaned after the fire and hair pinned back out of your eyes. You had a fresh set of clothes that were clearly some Zelda had lent you, but they hugged your curves and let a little more of your skin show than usual. Link looked up at you and felt his cheeks flush. Now he had realised his feelings, he allowed himself to indulge in every beautiful detail you possessed. He snapped his eyes away to avoid making things awkward, and you sat down to his right.

Food arrived shortly, and Link remained quiet, reading his book and digging in to his pie and potatoes. Zelda and you began chatting about various topics, while Link occasionally added a comment and allowed himself to glance at your face.

He felt his anxieties build up again towards the end of the meal, as he realised how intense his feelings were. He wasn’t sure he could handle so much emotion on top of everything that was going on in his mind right then. Let alone the likely rejection he’d face, but there was no going back now. He couldn’t stop thinking about you and didn’t stop right up until he got into bed that night.

He decided to read just one more chapter of the soldier’s diary before sleeping, hoping he’d find some kind of answers there. This particular chapter described how the soldier felt guilty for enjoying himself and indulging himself while feeling unworthy of it. The soldier wrote about how people should never feel bad for enjoying something while healing. They deserved something they loved or someone they loved no matter what their tired mind told them.

He wrote specifically about his wife and children, and not feeling worthy of their presence and gifts on his birthday. He described the uncontrollable tears he fought off often, much like a young child would, while his own children would tell him he’s brave and a role model to them. He realised he would always want them to enjoy life and deserved to. So why shouldn’t the soldier enjoy an extra piece of apple pie? Or playing games with his children? Or the love his wife gave him?

Link’s heart fluttered, and he closed the book. Of course, he was allowed to pursue what he enjoyed. He had done so much for this world and decided he shouldn’t stop himself from loving anything, including you. You may not have feelings for him in return, but maybe it was time for Link to enjoy other people more, perhaps even search for someone to love.

 

 

 

 


	13. The Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EEEEEEEEEEEEE big plot, exciting, flooooooooooof  
> Thank you for all being so supportive Much love to you all <3

You lay in bed staring at the ceiling, as you had done for the past hour or so. You had already given up hope of getting to sleep at this point but couldn’t figure out what was keeping you awake. You had decided you had probably messed up your sleep patterns after your cuddly nap with Link this morning, but something else was nagging in the back of your mind. You began to replay the events of the day in your head.

You woke sometime in the early afternoon practically in Link’s arms, which you had secretly enjoyed incredibly. He’d then brought you to the kitchen for a private cooking lesson, at which point your heart jumped remembering how close had gotten to you. From that distance you could admire the many shades of pale blue within his eyes, flicking over your lips with an expression you saw only during such personal moments between you.

All this before being dragged out into the cold rain to confront an angry group of towns folk, soldiers and Zelda who was absolutely furious with the fire ordeal. Thankfully the culprit was identified, and your name cleared, thanks to two residents you had saved stepping forward to tell of your heroic act. You had felt rather triumphant for proving yourself to at least some of the town’s folk, while others continued to look cautiously your way. You still felt very alien and out of place, even after a month of learning to fit in and finding yourself. Now you just felt wrong again.

Link had once again managed to cheer you up by being his ridiculous self, but you couldn’t get that sweet smile out of your head.

_“I love to make you laugh, y/n.”_

You played the moment over and over in your head. What had you so obsessed with Link all of a sudden? You had already established his strange effect on you – blushing, heart racing, giggling, heated body – but that was because he was your friend? Right?

Zelda didn’t do that to you, not in the same way, anyway. You spent a lot of time with Zelda in some lessons and you were sure you were friends, the same with many of the guards you had trained with and familiar faces from the kitchen and other staff. Why didn’t Link fit with what you considered a friend?

Zelda had told you at dinner your usual timetable would start again tomorrow, should you feel up to it. You decided to ask her about these questions before your lesson, you had finished learning most of Hyrule’s history and she had began teaching you how to manage money and practice writing letters. Maths was simple, but your handwriting was still very childish, and you struggled with any kind of formal behaviour. Zelda was so considerate, as many people would think you stupid for not knowing such things. You rolled over and tried once again to get to sleep, closing your eyes before drifting into a dream filled with many beautiful flowers.

 

You woke early to a knock at the door.

“Good morning y/n! I brought your breakfast!”

“Oh!” You replied and stood to open the door. It was one of the maids you knew as Leslie. “You didn’t have to bring it up for me Leslie, you are too kind.”

“You and Link have had a tough couple of days, I thought I’d bring you a treat.” She placed a small tray with bread and jam and a pot of tea on your bedside table.

“Thank you so much!” You beamed at her as she curtsied. None of the staff really did that to anyone else accept Zelda, but she was a princess. You awkwardly curtsied back, and Leslie giggled as she left. You sat and enjoyed your food, finishing with a tea which helped clear your foggy, sleepy mind. You thought through the questions you had for Zelda and began to dress in the clothes she had lent you.

You found Zelda in the Library sat at the small table you shared during your lessons, reading a book. You both called them lessons, but you considered it relaxing time spent with a friend, looking forward to it most days.

“Good morning y/n. How are you?” Zelda smiled though she looked tired.

“I’m fine thank you, though you look tired. Are you okay?” You queried.

“It’s this Yiga business. I stayed up researching them but found absolutely nothing about this new symbol.” She shook her head. “But that is something for later, are you ready for your lesson?”

“Well I have a few questions actually… if that’s okay?” You joined her to sit at the table.

“Of course, y/n, anything.” She closed her book and lent on her elbows.

You blushed, a little embarrassed now it came to ask the questions, speaking out loud. You took a deep breath and began explaining the differences between how you felt about most people and how you felt about Link. You began to grow suspicious of the grin on Zelda’s face when you got to describing how you enjoyed being close to him but doing so made you nervous, even more so when you told her no one other than Link felt like electricity when you touch.

“Is it because Link doesn’t like me? He always seems happy around me though, I just don’t understand…” You finished and lent your chin in one hand, elbow on the table.

Zelda grinned and giggled. “Oh y/n, there’s nothing wrong with you or Link, you’re in love!” Her giggles escalated as your eyes grew wide and mouth opened. The realisation hit you and you covered your reddening face with your hands.

“Are you sure? That can’t be it! I don’t even know what love is! Love is super complicated isn’t it? I don’t understand, why do I love Link?” You questioned. You weren’t exactly disappointed by this but were doubtful and still very confused.

Zelda took your hands in her once her laughter had subsided. “Y/n, everyone experiences love, it is perfectly normal and can be so very lovely. It can be complicated but only if you over think it, and as for why its generally different for each person.”

This made sense, but you still had so many questions. You knew some people in love got married, or had children, or made love, but you couldn’t handle any of that at all just yet. What if Link thought you weird for loving him? What if he didn’t love you? What if he did? You were so embarrassed just in front of Zelda, how could you possibly confess to Link? You stared at the table top and began to feel ill.

“Don’t panic y/n. I won’t tell Link, or anyone else. This is something for you alone, though if you do have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask. In the meantime, …” Zelda stood and walked over to bookcase nearby, pulling out a small, pale pink book and placed it in front of you. “This should tell you what you need to know.”

You picked up the book, opening the first page to the title: _A young person’s guide to the Heart._

Zelda leaned in towards you and lowered her voice. “I understand you already know how sex works, yes?” You blushed but nodded. Thankfully, you already understood many basic human functions; eating, drinking, using a toilet, sex, else your arrival may have been a lot more embarrassing.

“Good, well the book describes a lot to do with that as well, it may be embarrassing to read but it’s worth it. My tutor gave it to me when I was young, and it is very useful in the long run.” Zelda continued. “I’ll just warn you, a lot of people feel very awkward talking about sex, but I encourage you not to be. It’s important to know what is happening between two people in those situations. I doubt you will get to that any time soon, but the writer talks about how to understand your romantic feelings as well as sexual.”

“Thank you, Zelda. I appreciate this.” You smiled through the never-ending blush, putting the book to the side to begin the lesson. You looked back up at Zelda who was grinning again. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

She shook her head while passing you a page of writing, paper and quill with ink. You spent the next hour or so chatting while practising your writing, copying out a passage describing a rare kind of moss, only found near the Zora Kingdom. You were getting rather good at it, though joining the letters was still tricky.

You kept glancing at the pink book whenever thoughts of Link threatened to distract you. You wanted to figure everything out so badly, but it could wait. You took the book to your room after the lesson, before heading to your morning training session. You and a small team of guards warmed up before heading out to Hyrule field for a running exercise.

Exhausted, sweaty and breathless, you all filed into the dining room for lunch. You strained your neck to see if Link was present, not sure if you wanted to face him or not. Goddesses, how could you talk to him when you had discovered you were in love with him?

You didn’t see Link until dinner and your stomach dropped when you walked into the dining room, Link had his back to you sitting opposite Zelda, who had the cheesiest grin on her face she could muster. You sat down next to Link and greeted him, trying not to blush too profusely.

“How was training today y/n?” Link asked awkwardly, intensely aware of your body heat reaching his left side.

“Good, we had a rather long run this morning, then we had hand to hand combat training. I’m super tired now.” You refused to make eye contact with Zelda and her stupid smirk.

Link felt a slight pang of jealousy, imagining the various soldiers pinning you to the ground while up close and personal with you. He pushed the image away as your dinner was brought to you.

“What have you been up to today Link?” Zelda asked.

 “Took Fera out for a ride and went into town to the market. Nothing too exciting, then helped out with a few of the town repairs.” He said. “The guardians are making amazing progress with the new houses.”

“They are wonderful, aren’t they?” Zelda beamed, clearly proud of her work. She suddenly looked up behind you and Link. You both turned to see a soldier holding a red envelope. Zelda stood and walked over to them, leaving Link and yourself alone.

Your chest felt tight. You took a deep breath and turned in your seat to face him.

“How have you been feeling today?” Like Zelda, you worded the question as if it were something casual. But Link knew you were referencing the various elements of panic he had displayed two nights ago. He turned to you and nodded slowly.

“Okay, strangely. I feel as though it would have stayed with me for a longer time. But I feel normal.” He explained quietly. “I was exhausted yesterday but now it’s all gone.”

“I suppose that is a good thing, though I suppose you worry it may come back as suddenly as it left?” You ask, trying to help.

Link nodded. “I will figure it out y/n. Thanks for checking up on me though.” He smiled gently, clearly feeling a little uncomfortable. You nodded, satisfied that Link was happy. Before you could turn back to your meal, Link took your hand.

“Y/n, I think t- “

“Link, y/n, I need you to come with me now, calmly.” Zelda appeared next to you suddenly, a grave look on her face. Link released your hand and stood slowly. You followed them both from the dining room towards the Ancient’s hall, eyeing the red letter in Zelda’s hand along the way. Link stopped her once the guards were out of earshot.

“Zelda, what’s wrong?” Link look worried, and Zelda put a hand over her mouth as a few tears filled her eyes. You stepped forward and took her hands.

“The new Yiga symbol has been sighted in Gerudo Town.” She started, releasing a sob before continuing. She passed the letter to Link who began to read. “The same group who attacked Castle Town, they tried to burn down Riju’s home. But it was just a distraction and instead they were going to… they were aiming for… oh y/n, they, they – “

Link looked up from the letter. “They took down Vah Naboris.”


	14. The Energy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MORE PLOT. hope this isn't too much of a filler, i just really love adding lore to it all. I have so many ideas for both relationship and world building but the balance is so hard! Do you guys enjoy all my lore ideas?

“But they are enormous? Built by the ancients? Vah Naboris surely isn’t… gone?” You had never seen any of the four legendary divine beasts, but you had read extensively about them.

You had helped the research team translate many of the old texts they had. A lot of the texts had already been roughly translated and correctly so as you discovered. Zelda and you had concluded the divine beasts also contained the metal sheikahtahl, which was mentioned many times in one particular book. The Ancients used the metal as a source of energy in many of their structures and was likely a tool used to bring about the creation of you.

The only possibility you could think of that would involve disabling the divine beast would be to remove the energy source. But none of the Ancient texts had mentioned a way of taking it from any structure. You felt a sudden responsibility to help fix this, especially seeing as it had made Zelda so upset.

“The letter says it seems to have deactivated. Its light is gone, it’s slumped over, and there’s no shield around it anymore – Riju’s soldiers could walk right up to it, there’s usually a barrier.” Link relayed the message in the entrance to the Ancient’s hall. Zelda had asked for Purah and Robbie to be brought to them, as well as a few of the higher ranked soldiers. They arrived shortly, and Zelda explained the contents of the letter.

You all moved further into the hall, down the tall stairs to the centre. You hadn’t been back here for weeks, it was cold and dimly lit. You shivered and turned to face Link and Zelda.

“I don’t understand, they… they killed a divine beast?” The second in command of the royal guard, a young, round faced woman with small brown eyes, named Gina was the first to speak.

“Could the energy source have been taken? The sheikahtahl?” You suggested.

“It would explain all the features described in the letter, but the metal is integrated into every part of the structure, at least that’s what we found in the walls of this room,” Robbie gestured to the faint glow of patterned walls. “How could it possibly be removed?”

“Perhaps it wasn’t the metal that was removed, but the energy it held.” Purah suggested but frowned immediately. “But after all this time we know of nothing that has lost its energy. Even after the thousands of years since the Ancient’s time.”

“What about the shrines?” Dathahl, the commander of the Royal Guards, a straight faced, tanned, dark haired gentleman joined the conversation. “Link told me once that the Sheikah slate would no longer detect them once they were completed.”

“That’s true, but they could still be entered and used, still powered so to speak.” Robbie frowned. None of this made any sense to any of them.

“Perhaps they were in a sort of dormant state.” Purah thought for a moment. “Perhaps the energy of the sheikahtahl could be depleted, but a mechanism could be used to halt it’s use, maybe even recharge it.”

The group continued to argue possibilities near the base of the stairs, while you wandered over to the small circle in the base of the floor’s centre, your point of origin. You shivered again in the cool evening air, that had sunk through the various cracks in the ceiling of the room. You always felt strange whenever you visited the Ancient’s hall, probably because it was what deemed you different from everyone – you were not born but made.

Link noticed you standing alone and shivering. He moved away from the now heated conversation and came to stand behind you.

“You don’t like it here, do you?” He said.

You continued to stare at the circle in the floor in silence, which answered Link’s question. You were uncomfortable and the major new problem with the world had obviously gotten to you. You were always so drawn to this central point of the room. You knelt at the edge of it and traced the edge of the mark in the floor.

Link sat opposite you and watched you intently. He hated seeing that look on your face – eyebrows scrunched together in frustration, deep in your conflicting thoughts. He understood your constant confusion surrounding everything, having to learn a lifetime of information and more, all at once. He wanted nothing more than to keep you safe from such a feeling, silently thanking the goddesses he took the job of your guardian. He just wished he had the guts to tell you.

You thought back to the night you arrived. You don’t remember a lot, accept the thin frame of Link and his sparkling blue eyes staring up at you. So curious but calm, welcoming you into the world. You also remembered a blue light emanating from the circle below you, the same one you now studied. You gently placed both your hands in the middle of the circle and closed your eyes.

It was like you were suddenly filled with pure light. The light of the patterned wall dimmed for a moment, before becoming brighter than ever. The room was lit as if in daylight, and a familiar blue glow filled your eyes momentarily. Link stood and stepped away, not sure of what had happened.

Images flooded your mind, all based in this very room. It was like watching someone else’s memories, from the point of view of a young woman. It was blurry and intermittent, but you watched her bringing people to the circle, energy from the marks on the wall channelled to the individual stood there. She made notes on the results, all positive. Some healed, some gained useful abilities, some said to connect to the goddesses themselves. A surge of shocking energy hit you and you pulled back in surprise.

The room was silent, but seemingly replenished. The group previously arguing had stopped to stare at you. None of them seemed fearful, but curious. The silence continued as you shivered again.

Link helped you to your feet and you lent against him when your legs began shaking. He wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you against his chest. You took in a shaky breath and spoke.

“I saw… the Ancients. They used this place… as a place of healing… and prayer.” You swallowed. “It was like I could… connect to the energy within it. It moved through me…”

Zelda approached you slowly. “It was holy ground? Perhaps that is why they trapped Ganon here. They must have believed the goddesses energy could be used to combat him. I would have had a strong connection to them while here…” She looks around the walls of the room.

You wobbled slightly, and Link grabbed your arm to hold you steady. You stole a glance up at his caring eyes, which pulled you in with their intense blue energy. You both felt your cheeks flush pink, and he turned away quickly to face Zelda.

“They need rest, Zelda.” He said, and Zelda responded with a nod. She secretly was disappointed you couldn’t describe more of what you saw but decided this was something to address later. She turned back to the group of people and tried to convince them to continue the previous conversation, promising you would explain everything tomorrow. They weren’t to happy with a lack of explanation to the unnatural events that had just occurred, but their trust for Zelda was strong.

Link helped you up the stairs to the exit. Your arm snaked around his neck to hold yourself up, the other clinging to his shoulder. He was so gentle, skin soft under your touch, leaving you struggling to hide your deep red blush.

“You always know just when to conjure a miracle, huh?” Link chuckled, silently revelling in in having your body against his. He felt guilt begin to creep into his gut again but pushed it aside. He was enjoying helping you, feeling like he was worth something to you, and let himself enjoy it.

You giggled in your drained state. “I promise I’m not doing any of it on purpose.” You shot a sleepy smirk up at Link who smiled down at you. You yawned as sleep threatened to overtake you, before Link’s familiar cheeky smirk appeared.

“Oh Goddesses.” Was all you could say before you were lifted from your feet. Instead of being ungracefully thrown over his shoulder however, Link held you gently in his arms bridal style. You lent your head against his chest, giggling through a rapidly beating heart and red face.

 

Link carried you all the way to your room, despite your protests. He carried you past all the guards and maids you met, completely unfazed. He did, admittedly, feel a little embarrassed. But it was worth it to see your adorable face giggling away in his arms.

You felt disappointed when he put you down on your feet outside your room. He said goodnight as you entered your room, hearts fluttering in each other’s presence. You closed the door behind you and led down on your bed, grinning profusely at the ceiling. You fell into a deep sleep, completely forgetting the strange occurrence in the Ancient’s hall, instead recalling your favourite enchanting blue eyes.


	15. The next chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hmmmmmmmmm reder is naughty and plot happens!!!!  
> Hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas, and I just want to say thank you to everyone for being so supportive of my first fanfic. It means the world to me and i get so excited whenever i recieve a comment. I appreciate every single one of you! Much love <3

You woke before the sun had risen and try as you might you couldn’t get your mind back to rest. Especially after rolling over to see the small pink book Zelda had lent to you. You sat up and pulled it into your lap, your curiosity taking over. You traced your fingers over the spine before opening and turning to the first chapter.

The book began describing what love was. It took you a while to understand, but essentially love is different for everyone. It can be between any pair of genders, or more then two people. It can be sexual or not and can develop quickly and over many, many years. Regardless of who was involved or how it progressed, all of it was valued as love.

The writer also described somethings that had to be involved for love to turn into a healthy relationship. The first being consent, especially when sexual activities began. You would be sure to memorise that, as it seemed incredibly important in order to avoid hurting or upsetting anyone. The second was to have respect – for each other and for your relationship. Neither individual should feel like they are being bullied, used or hurt as a result from being together. You read through various circumstances the writer listed, which seemed like basic human decency to you – such as not setting ridiculous rules for your partner, using the relationship as blackmail, being with other partners without permission or pushing the relationship further than either person could handle.

The third was to listen. There will always be problems even in a perfect relationship, and problems in an individual’s life. If something is upsetting your partner and they need to talk about it, the best thing to do is just listen. You may not be able to fix it but talking always helps work through an issue. You felt your heart warm in self pride, knowing you had already managed to work that one out for Link. You would never pressure him into telling you anything he didn’t want to, knowing he would eventually if he needed to.

The book continued to describe different kinds of relationships, such as hetero-romantic, homo-romantic, poly-romantic. To be honest, you lost track of how many there were, especially when it came to your own sexuality. You decided you would leave that for now, knowing your life experience was a little lacking.

The book then took a bit of a turn onto sexual love. You felt your cheeks heat up as you started the new chapter, feeling both embarrassed but endlessly curious at the same time – guilty, almost. You read through pages describing anatomy of Hylian female and male genitalia, cringing at the pictures drawn to show each one. You had a pretty good idea about the basics, so skipped a few pages to the next chapter.

The first page showed two nude Hylians in a close embrace. You blinked a few times. Heat flooded over your face, ears and chest. Your chest burned as a lump formed in your throat. Should you be looking at this? You looked around your room, as if checking for anyone watching you as you studied the image in more detail.

You turned the page to find a small passage of text. Apparently, images of, or even watching others making love could arouse most people. They could also assist them during masturbation, stimulating the mind and helping it to feel more realistic. You swallowed hard, looking across the next few pages demonstrating males and females touching themselves.

You continued to look through the images, heart hammering in your chest as a dull heat began to develop between your legs. You recognised this as mild arousal, and Goddesses was it difficult to ignore.

You stopped at one particular image of a blond, male Hylian laying over his female partner. His length was laid over her lower abdomen, her legs either side of his kneeling form. His head was lent back in pleasure, an expression on his face that sent chills down your spine. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact it looked like Link, of course, but you decided this was your favourite drawing.

You swallowed down again and peered down at yourself. You were sweating slightly, chest red and arousal becoming harder and harder to ignore. This was indeed a strange experience, but you knew it was completely normal. You put your hands between your legs experimentally as rubbed.

“Ooh, oh, ugh”. You slapped a hand over your mouth and your embarrassment finally took over. You snapped the book shut and shoved the offending text under your pillow. The lump in your throat grew when you realised it was the thought of Link that had caused you arousal to become so intense, that it was thoughts of Link that brought about those ridiculous sounds.

You stood and began to pace your room, hands over your face, desperate to clear your head. You turned to your window and peered out over the ruins of a courtyard. You watched the sunrise, listening to the birds singing as the light took over the landscape. Your heart slowed, and you felt a little closer to normal.

There was a soft knock at the door. Your heart jumped, and you checked yourself for any obvious giveaways to your recent condition. You deemed yourself presentable and after double checking the book was hidden, opened the door.

It was the head of the Royal Guard, Dathahl. You tried to control your guilty blush that began to creep over your face.

“Good morning Y/N. Get yourself ready quickly. After the events of last night Zelda, myself and others have made several decisions. She will explain everything once you meet her in the dining room. Understand?” He had a commanding tone but spoke respectively. It’s what made you think he was the perfect leader to the Royal Guard. He had control over his troops but never put them down.

“Yes sir.” You nodded. He nodded with an affirmative grunt and turned to leave. You closed your door again and began to get changed.

You had entirely forgotten the strange events of last night in the Ancient’s hall. You remembered seemingly summoning energy from the walls of the room, before letting it flow through you at a higher intensity. You also remember having visions as if from another’s memories, showing the room being used as a place of healing and connection to the Goddesses. You had even further floods of questions enter your mind. Being a normal Hylian was confusing enough, but now you had discovered another major ability that wasn’t at all normal.

You suddenly felt a dull buzz of frustration prickling the back of your mind. You really wanted to take a step back from everything and just focus on yourself again. The discovery of your abilities, origin, feelings for Link, accusations, discovery of a new evil in the world and just learning how to be a normal person was a list too long for any one person to hold.

You pushed the negative feelings aside, remembering that while you may begin to struggle with it all, you were determined to put your energy into helping others. You wanted to help Zelda with all the Yiga clan problems, help the Towns folk find justice, help Link heal himself. You smiled as you thought about his calming eyes, looking deep into your own. You left your room and headed to the dining room.

 

Link was stood waiting for you outside the dining room. He was stood lent against the doorway with his arms crossed, looking into the dining room, which was full of people chattering at breakfast. You took a moment to admire his familiar face and well-trained body. You blushed as your thoughts flicked back to the book you were reading earlier, imagining Link leaning down over you, chest bare and length pressing against your-

You shook your head to rid it of such images, feeling your chest tighten as you approached him.

He looked up and smiled in greeting. You smiled back although he looked tired, you wandered if he had been up late again. You frowned when you saw the packed saddle bag at his feet. Your heart sank, and you pointed at the pack. Before you could speak however, Link put a hand on your shoulder.

“We are going to be travelling a little sooner than we thought, y/n.” He spoke calmly, and your heart skipped due to the lower tone of his voice. “Zelda will explain everything, but don’t worry about anything to much, I’ll be with you the whole time.”

Your wide eyes looked up at Link. You trusted him immensely, and although his words made you anxious you nodded gently and stepped into the dining room. You stole a look back over your shoulder to see Link still smiling at you. You turned away in embarrassment and blushed again, knowing he was watching you and cautiously walked to the table Zelda was sat at, along with the same individuals

“Hello y/n.” She had faint lines under her eyes. You wandered if you had been awake all night trying to work things out after you left so suddenly last night. You felt guilt punch you in the gut when you realised you had left her to worry about the new strain of Yiga attacking innocent people, while you had been sleeping and shamelessly reading such inappropriate things. You swallowed and sat down next to her.

“I’m so sorry about last night, I should have stayed to help… I had no idea it would… and then I just… I should have helped you…” You tried desperately to convey how you felt although the words were foreign to you. Zelda listened patiently. “I feel ashamed, that I was just… resting after I left you so worried and confused. I should have done more to help.” You looked down at your hands as your gut twisted horribly, waiting for Zelda to say something.

“Y/N, none of us really know what happened last night with you in the Ancient’s hall. It’s perfectly fine that you rested, and you should know I would have _carried_ you there myself had you suggested anything otherwise.” Your cheeked flushed slightly, realising the smirk on her face must mean she’d heard about Link’s gentlemanly act of carrying you to bed.

“Thank you, Zelda.” You smiled, grateful that she didn’t resent you for not helping. She smiled back and stood to gain the attention of the others sitting on the table.

“Alright, now y/n is here we can begin all our designated jobs regarding the Yiga threat.” She began turning to each member of the group to confirm their roles.

“Dathahl and Gina, you are responsible for upping security around Castle Town, while also communicating with other settlements to send recommended security details to them. A lot of the stables and smaller villages has become more relaxed since the downfall of the Calamity, but they should resume patrols until we know more.” Zelda spoke clearly as the pair of soldiers nodded along with her.

“Purah and Robbie, you will continue research on the Ancient’s hall, shrines and Guardians to figure out more of the properties of sheikahtahl. Perhaps we can even figure out how the clan was able to drain it from Vah Naboris and prevent any attacks on the other divine beasts.” Zelda said hopefully, as Robbie nodded and Purah held up her thumbs.

“Y/N, after your interaction with the Ancient’s hall last night, the lights were shining brighter than had ever been recorded.” She turned to Purah and Robbie for a moment. “We believe you may have played a role in recharging the sheikahtahl in the structure. We have a vague theory of how, but we want to run a few more tests.”

“Did you want me to help with that? Like when you ran tests on me before?” You said, eager to help.

“We do! But the Gerudo are absolutely destroyed at the loss of their divine beast. I would like you to go with Link, to review events and get a few more details. Link is familiar with the divine beasts and the Yiga clan hideout in the Gerudo highlands. I thought perhaps you could…” She stumbled on her words. “I thought maybe you could find a way to recharge the divine beast as you did the Ancient’s hall.”

Your eyes grew wide. You had no idea how your abilities worked. You could cause a disaster - what if you completely destroy the divine beast? Drained it of energy even more so? You stared down at your hands while Zelda waited for your response.

“I know it’s a bit of a long shot, and please don’t feel bad if you don’t figure out what to do. I fear I am just being hopeful you can help.” She smiled. “Don’t feel bad, just do your best, y/n.” She held your hands in hers as reassurance. You nodded defiantly, ready to help her.

“Excellent! Oh y/n, thank you so, so much! You best go pack, Link is waiting. I think he will enjoy travelling again, but keep an eye on him for me?” She asked, and you agreed. You promised to come and say goodbye before you left, and turned to leave – ready for your next adventure.


	16. The first day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LONG chapter but lots of FLOOOOOUUUF  
> EHEHEHHEHE

You hastily began shoving the few sets of clothes you owned into a small backpack, along with a hairbrush and few leftover biscuits the kitchen staff had saved for you. You thought about bringing a weapon, but you had only ever borrowed bows or swords from the soldiers during training. Perhaps Link could help you find one.

You felt your excitement intensify at the thought of spending so much time with Link. You imagined star-gazing with him, cooking with him, horse riding, exploring, foraging and so much more. All things he had helped to teach you and you could not wait to show him what you had learned. As your thoughts wandered, your eyes landed on the book peeking from under your pillow.

Your stomach flipped, and you darted across the room to shove it back under the blankets. You should probably bring this with you. Not because you expected anything to come from your alone time with Link, of course, but because you should probably learn its contents anyway… right?

You carefully took the book and pushed it to the bottom of your bag. You silently swore to never even touch it while Link was with you.

You had changed into your original clothes, that you arrived with. You thought it fitting that you meet the rest of the world as you had entered it. You smoothed out your y/f/c shirt, picked up your bag and left your room – a small glimmer of sadness in your heart as you said goodbye to the familiar space.

You found Link and Zelda in the entrance hall of the castle. Link had his usual sword, shield and bow strapped to his back and large saddle bag in hand. A second saddle bag was sat on the floor next to Zelda, who looked up to meet your gaze.

“That was fast! I imagine you are excited to get out of here and go exploring.” She smiled.

“I am, but I do really love it here. Everyone has been so kind to me.” You replied. You noticed Link watching you with a smile, unaware that he had completely zoned out staring at you.

Zelda pulled you in for a hug. “You will always have a home here, y/n.” She pulled back to hold your hands in hers. “I am so lucky to have met you and I wish I could have taught you so much more before now. I will miss you dearly, but you have an important job to do.”

You nodded, your heart swelling with the love and respect you had for your friend. “I owe you everything Zelda.”

“Nonsense, you are my friend and owe me nothing. Now please go and enjoy yourselves.” She snuck you a sneaky wink in alongside her words, receiving a slight blush and wide eyes from you. She giggled, handed you the second saddlebag and ushered you towards the large entrance way.

Link held out his arm for you. “Y/n, are you ready?” He smiled lightly, his soft blue eyes full of energy. You nodded and took his arm, before walking through the door towards your horses.

You patted Layra on the side and hoisted the saddlebag over her saddle to attach it. You watched Link do the same, before turning back to Zelda. You felt sadness trickle into your heart at the thought of leaving. You had barely had chance to say good bye to the guards and staff you had befriended before going to your room to pack. Now you were saying goodbye to one of the most important people in your life.

Zelda had assured you the trip would only take a few weeks, but a few weeks was your entire life so far. You gave her one last hug as a few tears spilled from your eyes.

“Oh, y/n! Link you better look after her, else you’ll need another hundred years in the shrine of resurrection!” You giggled and turned to see Link’s reply.

“Don’t you worry, we won’t be gone long.” He too gave Zelda a hug goodbye and the pair of you mounted your horses. 

You set off towards the gardens, waving to Zelda for as long as you could before she disappeared from view. Once in Castle Town, you took a deep breath to steady your nerves. You felt a strange ache in your chest, as a confusing mixture of excitement and nervousness filled you.

Link was silent as you followed him through Hyrule field, heading to the south west end. You had never been past the Aquame lake, the name for which you had learnt from Dathahl during a training exercise. You also recognised the Coliseum ruins near the base of the towering plateau.

 

You travelled quietly and slowly, past the Outskirt stable and towards a tall this bridge that dangled over a huge river. You marvelled at the enormous body of water and the Gerudo highlands that you were sure touched the sky, while stopping frequently to watch small animals and insects dance around. Link was incredibly patient, you thought.

Link was loving every second of it. Every time you spotted something new, his heart would flutter in adoration, as your eyes sparkled with interest. He told you everything he could about each new animal, plant or place before you found something else. He even pointed out a few shrines along the way, which you thought were beautiful. He promised to take you through one once you had been to Gerudo.

Your mind was buzzing, almost overloaded with new information, as you reached the other side of the long bridge. You entered the Gerudo canyon and suddenly felt very small, caught between two enormous walls of rock. The colours in them were bright and muddy, much different from the mossy green of Hyrule field.

Link turned in his saddle to look back at you. “There’s an old bokoblin cave up here, we can stop for a rest if you like?”

The sparkling excitement in your heart caused you to flash a big grin in his direction. “No way! I could go for ages…” You gently kicked on Layra, overtaking Link who mirrored your expression.

“Alright then…” He was quiet for a moment and you moved ahead.

Suddenly Link and Fera sped past your right side, moving quickly ahead of you. You squealed in delight and sped up again in chase. You laughed at Link’s mock pout as you passed, weaving through the winding passage. Your hearts were racing as you tore along the canyon, bridges of rock hanging over your heads and small lizards scattered in fright as you passed.

You felt like electricity. Air rushed through your hair and your lungs burned from your quickening breath, the speed of your horse adding to the exhilaration. Link and you were neck and neck as you neared a narrow passage that only held room for one horse to pass at a time. You shot a grin towards Link who had also spotted the narrow spot. He smirked in your direction. That was the finish line.

He shook his reigns and sped up, as you did the same. You got closer and closer, the passage forcing you together. Link was slowly pulling ahead, and with the path narrowing you couldn’t bear to think of hurting Layra. You suddenly pulled back on the reigns and let Link ahead of you.

You came to a stop and tried to catch your breath. Link turned around to stop in front of you with a stupid smirk on his face. You giggled as he flexed his arms, both of you breathing heavily after the race.

“I let you win!” You said playfully. Your heart was filled with adrenaline and you dared to have the confidence to flirt.

“Oh, I’m sure you did.” Link was red faced, breathing heavily as he continued to show off.

“At least I had the self-control to avoid hurting my Layra.” You crossed your arms and raised an eyebrow. Link just giggled.

“I suppose I can half believe such an excuse” He jabbed. You made a face in mock shock which earned you a cheeky grin. You were both silent for a moment, each carefully admiring the others breathless, tired state.

Link fought his dirty thoughts as hard as he could, seeing your lips parted and face red. Flashbacks to your sparring practices had him snapping his eyes from your face with a blush. You moved Layra on to continue along the canyon. Link followed.

“We can rest at the stable, we will have to leave our horses there as they don’t move to well through the sand and can’t handle the heat…” Link turned to you. “You don’t have any cool clothing, do you?”

“I have this,” You gestured down at the y/f/c shirt and white trousers, “And one other outfit Zelda gave me, the brown trousers and blue shirt.” You gave Link a confused look. “How hot is the desert, exactly?”

“Hot enough that I usually just wear shorts. The Gerudo wear just a wrap and baggy trousers but they are used to the heat.” Link explained. “We can stop in Kara Kara Bazaar and see if they have anything for you.”

You had studied the Gerudo people with Zelda. They were well known to be tall and beautiful, with pointed faces and incredible strength. The entire town were women and children as per their traditions; No men of any race were allowed to enter. How would Link get in? They had to speak to Riju, right?

“Link, how will you get into Gerudo Town?” You asked. He replied with a confused look. “They don’t let men into the town, do they?”

“Oh, um…” Link turned away. “Don’t worry about that, I have a way in.”

This just confused you more, but you trusted Link. The thought completely flew out of your mind as you approached the Gerudo Canyon stable, much to Link’s relief. He wasn’t quite ready to show you him in a woman’s outfit, although the thought of dressing up for you had his heart jumping.

 

That evening, you sat around a small campfire opposite the stable. Your horses had been booked in and you had booked two of the comfiest beds to sleep in. Link had insisted even when you protested due to the higher price. You were sat quietly watching the stars fade into the sky as the sun set, admiring a summerwing butterfly fluttering nearby. Link had taken out a few supplies from your saddlebags and was cooking using the pot outside the stable.

You looked over at the horse shaped building, which you thought was absolutely wonderful. What better way to show weary travellers there was a place to rest ahead? Your eyes travelled down to Link by the cooking pot. He had insisted on making some food for you and was studying the dish he was making so intently. Your heart warmed at the thought of Link taking time to do something for you.

Of course, that was no indication of his feelings for you. You pulled your knees into your chest and wrapped your arms around them. You felt a little sad, maybe even lonely. You were too afraid to ask Link if he loved you back and doubted he would love someone so alien. You wandered if there was a proper way to tell people how you felt about them, like a traditional custom or ritual. You thought of the book you carried in your backpack and figured it could tell you. You dared not get it out while anyone might see it, but you planned to figure it out soon.

 

Link lent over the sizzling pot of salted meat, carrots and mushrooms. It was always something he enjoyed and hoped you would share his love of the food. He had brought plenty of supplies in the saddlebags, but also had a few perishables in his own bag. This particular bag sat at his hip and was tiny, but the Sheikah slate allowed him to store a lot more than you’d expect within it. He had food, shields, arrows and weapons in there.

He pulled two small wooden bowls from his bag and began dishing up. He brought the food over to were you were sitting. You looked up to meet his gaze and held out your hands for the bowl. Link handed it over and sat next you, as close to your body as he dared.

“Thank you, this smells wonderful.” You said. Link smiled softly and you both began to eat in silence.

 

The stars were now shining brightly in the sky as Link stuffed the empty bowls back into his bag. You found the Sheikah slate’s ability to expand Link’s bag incredible and had always wandered if it could possibly have any other uses. Link lead back and rested his hands over his stomach, looking up at the sky. You copied him and wriggled until you were comfortable on the hard ground. Your shoulder brushed against Link and the familiar buzz of electricity prickled your skin. You swallowed as you realised how close he was to you. His body heat was comforting as you stared up at the sparkling sky. Meanwhile Link was staring at you.

He felt such calm next to you. He couldn’t pin point what it was, but something about you felt like he belonged. He moved his hands to his side and looked back up at the sky.

His hand touched your own and he felt it flinch ever so slightly, as you were not expecting the contact. Link froze but neither of you looked down from the stars. You heart was in your throat, Link did not normally touch you outside of certain situations, although you weren’t complaining.

Slowly, so slowly, Link edged his hand over the top of yours. He didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, but your lack of movement spurred him on. His heart was racing, even from such an innocent gesture. He laced his fingers between yours and held his breath.

Your entire face was bright red and you didn’t dare look at Link. This was hardly a controversial situation, but you felt electricity sparking from your hands, nonetheless. You swallowed and closed your fingers around his hand. The burning blush on your cheeks spread over your neck.

Link glanced at you with a sweet smile on his face, silently thanking the goddesses you didn’t catch him. You looked so adorable, all flushed and embarrassed. Perhaps you did have feelings for him? Although, he thought, it was likely you had no idea what you were feeling.

He rubbed his thumb in circles over your skin, enjoying the softness of it and the heat it gave out against his own hand. It calmed your rapidly beating heart and allowed you to enjoy the intimate moment. You sighed in content and Link let out a quiet chuckle in response.

 

You continued to stare into space with your hands intertwined between you. You both lay with flushed cheeks and heartfelt smiles until you began to drift off to sleep. Link stood when he noticed your closed eyes and slow breathing, picked you up and pulled you close to his chest. He carried you over to your bed in the stable. He settled in the bed next to yours and fell to sleep, his chest warm and full of fondness.


	17. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much happens again but oh mama I'm being a lil bit self indulgent here.

Link woke early the next morning, as the pale orange of the morning sky began to dissolve into blue. He sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before leaning over to gently shake your shoulders. There were still others sleeping in the stable, so when your sleepy smile appeared before you as you rolled over, he brought a finger to his lips.

You carefully stood, picked up your things and followed Link outside. You stretched your arms up towards the sky to loosen your muscles. Link also began a few stretches and you quietly admired the flexing muscles that strained against his clothing. You shook your head and looked away.

This was ridiculous. Link had enchanted you long before you knew that it was because you loved him, but since the realisation your attraction had doubled. You had yet to figure out what exact features of Link’s were what had caused you to fall for him, but you supposed his kindness towards you was part of it.

Sure, everyone back at Hyrule castle had always made you feel welcome. But this was different. Link was attentive, he knew your favourite foods and was patient when you marvelled at the smallest new discoveries. He had made himself so familiar with you even in the few weeks you had been alive. Of course, he had his own problems and you knew how frustrated they made him. But he would always help you with anything that you struggled with, without question. You smiled while staring off into the distance as your thoughts overtook you.

“Y/n? You still asleep there?” Link chuckled as your snapped back to face him. You rubbed your palms into your eyes.

“Sorry, guess we didn’t get to sleep until late.” You smiled at Link, before you could remember what exactly the reason for your late bed time was.

You had both led under the clear sky, hand in hand and admiring the stars. Although you had less admired the stars and more the feeling of Link’s thumb rubbing circles over the back of your hand. Your skin was so smooth under his touch, and only the sky could see the enormous red blush that covered your faces and pointed ears, as you had been too embarrassed to make eye contact.

You felt the same blush creep over your cheeks as you looked at the ground. Link chuckled as a soft pink coloured his own face.

“We should head out, y/n. Are you okay to go on?” He asked gently. You nodded and began walking alongside him, in a comfortable silence.

 

As you reached the end of the valley, the land dropped at harsh plateau walls down to a huge expanse of flat, empty land. Link stopped as you took in the open space, having not yet seen anything so void of life. The gentle wind that blew into your face brought a wave of heat that quickly warmed you. You noticed a small settlement in the distance surrounded by a few trees, assuming this was the Kara Kara Bazaar Link had mentioned. You bent your knees and reached down to take a fistful of sand, letting it trickle back to the earth through your fingers. It was warm and rough yet ran like water.

“We can make it to the Bazaar but we will need cooler clothing when we head out further.” Link said. You peered up from the ground and noticed a few beads of sweat already forming on Link’s face.

“Okay, do you have plenty of water? I remember Zelda saying its important to keep drinking.” You had put a full waterskin into your backpack last night in preparation, but you had to make sure Link was also being sensible.

“Of course, I have enough for us both.” Link looked back towards the Bazaar. “Come on then.” You both began walking away from the mountains. You wobbled on the first few steps as the movable sand squashed beneath your feet. Link held your arm for a moment to prevent you falling, and you steadied yourself easily, ignoring the electricity his touch brought.

 

After making slow progress across the sand, you arrived at the small circle of trees surrounding a pool of water. One large sandy stone building stood on the far side with a cluster of tents leading off from its side. There were Gerudo women sat outside a few of the tents, selling goods such as fruits you had never seen and traditional clothing. There were also a few Gerudo soldiers here and there.

The Gerudo were indeed beautiful, and a lot taller than most Hylians. You admired their make up and wandered if you might get the chance to try some. The drawings in the texts you had used to study them did not nearly do them justice. Strength and power emanated from each woman you passed. You tried desperately not to be rude and stare, but you also had so many questions about their culture.

You followed Link quietly until he stopped outside a tent selling traditional Gerudo clothing. There was a single outfit displayed on stands to the trader’s left. You stepped closer to the pale purple garment. The trousers were similar to the baggy harem pants you already wore but were clearly made of a thinner fabric and they stopped at the knee. There was a narrow wrap as the top that was held to the neck and arms with gold bands, which also joined a pair of loose, off the shoulder sleeves. It also had a headdress and veil over the nose and mouth.

“If you are on your way to Gerudo Town, dear vai, you will need something more like this to wear.” The trader told you.

“Vai?” You cocked your head to the side.

“It is our word for woman, or female. Your friend here we call a voe, which means male.” She explained.

“Oh, I see!” You smiled back in thanks for being patient.

“How much for the outfit, please?” Link asked.

“Only 400 rupees my dear.” She replied. Link handed her a few rupees and the trader counted them out before folding a set of clothes. She held them up to you and you thanked her and Link for the clothes. The fabric was smooth and light, rippling under your fingers as you rubbed them over it. The Gerudo trader pointed to a spare tent at the end of the row, explaining that it was empty, and you could change in there if you wanted.

Link walked you over to the tent as you continued to admire you new things.

“Link, I will most definitely repay you for all these things you have bought me. These are beautiful!”. You smiled up at him and he waved you off.

“Don’t worry, y/n. I have plenty of money.” He shrugged.

“But you earned those rupees. I did not. I’d like to earn them back for you.” You insisted, mock pouting up at him.

“Y/n, please, just consider these a gift.” He came to a stop outside the tent and lifted the curtained door open.

“Thank you, Link.” He blushed at your genuine appreciation for him and you hopped into the tent. He let the door fall closed and moved to sit on a nearby rock, poking up from under the sand.

The realisation that you would soon be wearing such revealing clothing hit him. He himself would have to wear a similar set of clothes in order to get into Gerudo town, and he knew just how much skin it let show. Goddesses, he might not be able to contain his thoughts once you step out of the tent.

Link swallowed as images of you in the delicate wrap and shorts flashed through his mind. A faint heat grew in his gut and he concentrated all his focus on ignoring it. His eyes were screwed shut and face pointed at the floor. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

You had stepped from the tent having changed your clothes. You took a deep breath, nervous to see Link’s reaction. These clothes let a lot of your body show, as you were worried Link would think you undesirable or lumpy. You waited patiently, smoothing the trousers over your thighs. You already felt cooler, but definitely a little self-conscious.

Link’s mouth hung open as he took in your bare, curved legs and shoulders. A small portion of your chest on show and the curve of your stomach visible. The veil and headdress framed your perfect y/e/c eyes and had them sparkling more than usual. You turned slowly, and Link almost let drool fall from his mouth when he saw the curve of your back connected to the shape of your ass.

When you face him again it took all his effort to meet your eyes again.

“Do I look okay? I don’t look silly, do I?” You felt your cheeks turn red when Link’s eyes continued to flick over your bare skin.

“No! No, no you look perfect.” He said hastily, breath a little short as his chest heated up in a fiery blush. Goddesses, this trip to the desert might actually kill him, and it wouldn’t be from the heat. “I should uh, change too, I suppose.”

You smiled and picked up your small backpack. Link stood and stepped towards the tent, ducking inside. You took his place on the rock and waited patiently, already feeling a lot better about yourself.

Inside the tent Link ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his eyes. He was sure he was half hard and had only seen you in such an outfit for a few seconds. How on earth was he going to get all the way to Gerudo Town without being too obvious? He last thing he wanted to do was make you uncomfortable on your first adventure.

He swallowed and began to change, donning the set of Gerudo armour made for voe he had bought from the secret club in town. He thought it best to wait before changing into the vai outfit, still hesitant to show himself in such a feminine outfit to you. He wasn’t embarrassed to wear it - it actually gave him a lot of confidence in himself that he could wear women’s clothes and feel natural. He just wasn’t sure if you would be okay with it, and he couldn’t bare the thought of losing such a caring friend.

He took a little extra time when changing his trousers. His semi erection outlined against the material of his underwear. Link blushed intensely and hoped no one would walk in on him. He once again felt guilt twist his stomach. He so desperately wanted to touch himself but dared not engage in such things. To him, fantasising about you was wrong, as he doubted you understood sexual desires. You were only a month and a bit into your existence anyway.

He quickly finished pulling on the cooler set of clothing, fastening the belts and bracers to make sure they were secure. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the tent.

You were sure you had seen a bare chest before, but Link’s was wonderful to look at. His sharp, broad shoulders and slight curve at his waist and hips had your eyes tracing his form. The lines hinting at layers of muscle under his skin were strong and defined. You wanted to reach out and feel his skin. He walked towards you and you tried to avoid his eyes as a blush burned across your cheeks. Hylia, you had done so much damn blushing today.

“We should be ready for the heat now.” Link said, who was also avoiding looking at you.

“Yes, thank you again for the clothes.” You smiled up at him, doing your best not to rake your eyes over him again.

“Of course, y/n.” He held your gaze, not breaking eye contact as he held out his hand to bring you to your feet, pulling you a step towards him. You were breathless, and he knew it.

The guilt in Link’s gut was dulled as you moved so close to him, his mind clouded with a haze of attraction. His eyes flicked over your lips as he continued to hold your hand in his, your blush spreading down your chest. Your heart stuttered when he absentmindedly licked his lips.

The voice in the back of his head screamed warning signals as he felt heat pool in his gut again. He turned away and adjusted his belt.

“Lets, uh, head on then!” He said awkwardly. He hated himself for ending such a meaningful moment, but also hated his dick for acting on such little stimulus.

You, meanwhile, had less than innocent thoughts streaming through your mind, as Link’s actions had set off a throng of unfamiliar feelings. You swallowed hard and shook your head, following Link from the small oasis.


	18. A silent promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AYYYYYEEEEE its me. My first exam is tomorrow but i had a chance to write a short update. This one i feel is quite nice.   
> Also, been thinking of writing a reader insert for Detroit become human? Would you guys be interested?  
> Reader would be a male android, new model Kamski was working on, given to Connor and RK900 to help integrate them into the world, would be a lot spicier than this one. Like A LOT.  
> Let me know what you think, and enjoy the chapter!

You felt like such a fool. How had you let yourself get so flustered over a little Hylian skin showing? Link walked ahead of you, trudging over the burning sand and all you could do was watch the muscles in his back rippling under his skin. It took all your willpower to face the ground to watch your footing, and not the young Hylian in front of you. Eventually you got used to the scene a few feet in front of you and felt the harsh knot in your stomach subside.

Link’s self-control however, had flown out the window. He was sweating profusely in an attempt to keep ahead of you, so he didn’t have the opportunity to look. Meanwhile images of your nude form flashed in and out of his mind, which was now a lot easier to visualise having seen more of yourself de-robed. He took many large drinks of water in an effort to cool himself down. Eventually, he gave up and tipped the rest of his water-skin's contents over his head, sighing as the cool water trickled down his spine. He looked ahead and saw Gerudo town was nearby, you should be there within the next half an hour.

He heard a light thump as you fell to the ground.

“Y/n?” He turned to see you on your hands and knees in the sand. He dashed towards you, falling to his knees and holding your shoulders. You look up at him.

“Sorry, Link,” You were out of breath, not used to walking for such a distance in the intense heat. You felt dizzy and had begun to lose you balance a while back. You sat up. “I think I just need a rest.”

Link scrambled to reach your water-skin you had tied to your waist and brought it to your lips. You had been drinking regularly although apparently not enough. Link had you drink all that you had left.

“Don’t be sorry, I should have been keeping a closer eye on you.” Link’s stomach was curling in on itself in guilt. He felt a familiar wave of self-doubt and uselessness – he was already failing. “Oh goddesses, I’m such an idiot.” He pressed his hands to his eyes and rubbed them repeatedly. He had spent so much time worrying about not making you uncomfortable that he had done just that.

“Link, please, it’s okay,” Your voice was hoarse for some reason. “I just need a rest.” You tried your best to reassure him, but after you wobbled over in an attempt to stand, Link panicked.

“I can c-carry you.” Link said. You could hear the worry in his voice, and it reminded you of the small voice he had after the recent fire. Whatever it was that had him in such panic that night was slowly resurfacing.

You held his hands in his and made him look at your face. His eyebrows were pushed together, and teeth clenched together. You could hear his breathing becoming a little quickened.

He stared as you examined him. He could feel an aching sensation rising in his chest, his breath shaking. He knew this was something he was trying to control, but in this exact moment he couldn’t. Because it was _you,_ he had failed.

This is why he left Hyrule many years ago. To be alone. He remembers the few years after the defeat of Calamity Ganon in which he felt much like a useless husk, following Zelda around. He had no purpose and it gave him such a deep, raw sadness. It was then he started losing sleep, missing his targets, forgetting, hurting, making mistakes, couldn’t even look after himself. So, he left, so he could avoid making anyone else’s life as miserable.

This was such a small mistake. He knew you would be fine, he knew you just needed a break, but the part of him that screamed at him for letting you down did not seem to listen.

You watched his eyes flicker back and forth in worry. You then had an idea come to you.

“Breathe with me?” You said with a soft smile. You took a slow breath in, then out again. Link joined in and slowly, slowly became a little more relaxed. You promised to remember this for possible future situations.

He sighed and turned his head away from you. “I apologise. I don’t realise that it’s… I don’t know how to… It just… It’s such a small thing to worry over but I can’t contr-,”

“Link, it doesn’t matter what the reason is, but whatever this is that… scares you? Is that the right word? You’re not scared, but not worried… what is it called?” You ask gently, giving Link a chance to identify his own feelings.

Link continued to look at the ground. “It’s called an anxiety attack…” The soldier’s memoirs he had been reading had told him that being able to identify them would be useful in noticing triggers and early warning signs. “But I don’t like that name, it sounds like it’s a heart attack and it’s not nearly as bad.” He was rambling again, trying to excuse your concern.

“How about… anxiety sickness?” He clenches his teeth at the name. Your heart ached seeing him feel shame for something he couldn’t control. You still didn’t know what it was that had him act like this, but you at least wanted to help him mange it. You smiled softly and tucked a strand of his hair behind his pointed ear.

“You need to accept that you have these anxiety attacks, Link.” He continued to stare at the ground as you spoke. “When you get them, no matter what the reason, you need to know that it’s okay to have them, and that you can learn from them.” You weren’t entirely sure where this knowledge was coming from, but it felt right to say. Link looked up at you.

“If you want, I will help you breathe again whenever you need, no matter how intense it is for you.” You took a deep breath. “And if things become as intense as they did on the night of the fire,” Your heart ached again when Link flinched slightly and looked away again. “I will hold you again, for as long as you need.” Link once again meets your eyes, you send him a soft smile despite the obvious blush over your face.

Of course, you knew just what to say. Link had never felt so validated in so few words before, and the ache in his chest began to recede replaced by a gentle warmth in his heart. He still felt a little twitchy, voices in the back of his head still screaming, but your words were real and genuine. He would cling to that for all that it was worth. He felt a little overwhelmed with so many emotions going on at once. He took a deep breath and nodded.

“I won’t mention it to anyone, or you, unless it happens again.” You squeezed his hands. He was quiet for a moment.

You moved to stand, and link helped you to your feet, trying to ignore the fact that the skin on the small of your back felt so soft under his supporting hand. And turned towards Gerudo town.

“So, y/n. I need to… change. Again.” He looked back at you to see your reaction, which of course was confusion.

“For what reason?” You ask, head tilted to one side with an adorable, quizzical expression.

“Remember how only females get into the Town?” Link said, watching your facial expressions switch from one to another as you realised his intentions.

“A person can do that? Just wear the other gender’s clothes?” You ask.

“Of course!” Link chuckled. “Sometimes people just want to be another gender for a while, or just even enjoy wearing more feminine or masculine clothes. It’s just part of who they are.” You grinned, clearly excited by the idea you could wear a lot more than you originally thought. Link continued. “I originally got these clothes purely to sneak in to the Town, but they were so comfy and well made and… well…” You notice a slight blush as Link’s ears bend down in embarrassment. “I think they suit me quite well…” he added quietly with a small smirk.

You giggled, not in anyway to offend him but in delight of learning something new about Link. “Where will you change? You don’t have a tent, do you?”

“Um… I guess you’ll just have to turn around” Links blush deepened despite the more confident tone in his voice. You did as you were told and waited patiently.

“No peeking,”

Oh, you really wish he hadn’t said that. Now you wanted nothing more than to peek. You knew Link might still be feeling a little self-conscious after his mild panic, so kept your eyes screwed shut. Goddesses what you would give for a chance to turn around now.

After a few painful minutes Link had changed, stuffing the voe clothing into his pouch and letting you know he was done. You turned around.

It really did look good on him. It captured every curve of his hips, stomach and his exposed shoulders and upper chest made you a little weak at the knees. He looked beautiful, yet still maintained his strong and powerful stature. The veil that matched your own hid everything but his eyes, which sparkled in the bright sunlight. You were weak at the knees, wanting nothing more than to sweep your finger tips over his wondrous shape.

“You really do look good in that.” You were sure your face was bright red. Link couldn’t help but notice it and giggled. He had to admit, there was something empowering about having people fall for him purely because of his figure.

“Shall we?” He held out his arm and you took it. You were a rather convincing and attractive pair of vai, slowly headed towards the Gerudo Town gates. You noticed a little more swing in Link’s hips as he walked, not sure if he was playing the part of just enjoying himself. Really, it just made the idea of him in women’s clothes all the more attractive.

You swallowed hard and tried to focus ahead, and not on the fact you were so close to Link wearing so little. The amount of skin on skin was unbearable and you wondered if you’d ever manage to control your sexualisation of poor Link. He had no idea you were thinking back to that small pink book, buried in your backpack, and all the things it described. All the positions, moves, acts. It made you feel a little ill, guilty even.

You shook off the thoughts and looked ahead, as you neared Gerudo Town, finally.


	19. Acquaintance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some super serious plot stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
> Important!!!! Riju time!!!!

Your path into Gerudo town was uninterrupted. The guards gave you nothing but a sideways glance as you passed through the sandy stone archway. You held onto Links arm as your nerves caught up with you – you were so excited to see such a beautiful new place, you forgot it would be so full of strangers. You steadied your thoughts as Link placed a reassuring hand over yours.

“No one knows who you are, y/n,” Link then gently tugged at your veil covering the lower portion of your face. You nodded, hoping you wouldn’t miraculously discover any random new powers that would give yourself away.

Once you entered the marketplace in the town square you squealed in delight. On the other side of the tiled stone ground was a large staircase, framed with aqueducts carrying fountains of cool water through the town. The channels of water came from the top of a large stone pedestal, one of three, which stuck out above all other buildings in the town, like enormous round fountains. Within the base of the three natural structures was the palace, which had colourful mosaics built into the pillars and archways that supported it.

Lining the edge of the square were many merchants tents, much like the market that was held back in Castle town. There were women in gorgeous silk clothing, bright make up and glittering golden jewels manning each stall, which sold everything from rice to arrows. The tents and awnings were richly coloured in reds, oranges, blues and greens. The sandy coloured town was also decorated with splashes of colours you had never seen before. You saw a jewellery shop and an inn hidden in the buildings surrounding the market as well.

You then noticed a significant number of guards posted around the area. As you and Link approached the entrance of the palace, you passed many side streets and alleys that must have lead off to other parts of the settlement. Even there you could still spy guards on patrol. You felt your nerves rising again - The people had obviously become worried after their beloved divine beast had been attacked.

You began to climb the palace steps, still arm in arm with Link. The two guards either side of the entrance raised their spears in your direction.

“State your business.” The left spoke sharply. The guards in this town seemed to be taller then the average Gerudo, with golden jewel encrusted headbands, gauntlets, boots and belt worn over loose trousers. Alongside this they wore a short crop top that left layers of thick, well trained muscles on show. You let your frightened gaze meet the guard’s sparkling eyes, lined in gold and green, either side of her distinctive curved nose. You were mesmerised and terrified at the same time.

“We have a meeting with the Gerudo leader, here,” Link swiftly pulled a small bronze disc with strange marking on from his pocket and holds it out to the guard discreetly.

The guard eyes the coin for a moment. Riju had given it to Link a few years ago, after she became fed up of having to verify Link’s identity in order to allow him into the castle. She had refused to let him enter the city while others knew he was a voe, so the coin let the guards know he was a close friend of Riju and was allowed entry.

“And this one?” The second guard on our right gestured towards you with her outstretched spear. You flinched and tightened your grip on Link’s arm.

“They are also here for the meeting.” Link was calm, as if this was a normal everyday process. You tried to relax. You were training in hand to hand combat, sword fighting, archery and many other ways to defend yourself, albeit brief. Why did these women intimidate you so?

The guards exchanged a look and the one to your left nodded. “You may enter. I will accompany you.” They withdrew their weapons and then gestured for you to enter, one of them turning to follow you as you did.

Link caught your gaze and smiled as sweetly as he could, trying to calm you nerves. His veil mask hid his mouth, but the gently crinkles beside his eyes helped calm you. You turned away to see the familiar face of Riju sat on a large, decorated throne. She wore bright green, traditional Gerudo clothing, lined with golden decorations and jewels. Her red hair tied back into gold bands decorated with beads and gems, intricately decorated crown on her head.

The guard that stood to her right had a different set of armour to the rest and was significantly more muscular. She stood strong at her leader’s side – you wandered if this is what Link did for Zelda in the past.

“Oh, Link, you came just in time.” Riju stood and dismissed all guards but Buliara and moved to stand in front of Link. He remembered her being a lot smaller back when he first woke up, but now she had grown as was almost as tall as most Gerudo. It gave Link a small sense of pride that he got to see her grow into such a wonderful leader. She had a stern, straight look on her face as the room emptied.

“We heard the news, what exactly happened?” Link let go of your arm and crossed his over his chest. You stood awkwardly to the side as Link and Riju conversed.

Riju took a deep shaky breath, and for the first time Link saw fear in her eyes. She composed herself and began to speak. “You are a good friend of the Gerudo people Link, you helped us with Vah Naboris so many years ago. We trust you. I had hoped Zelda would send you seeing as you have experience with the divine beasts.” She took a sly glance in your direction. “Do we trust your friend?” She spoke clearly and in a harsh tone with these last words.

“Without a doubt.” Link did not hesitate and kept steady eye contact with Riju. You knew a lot more about him than most people, and while he had grown so suspicious and fearful of strangers in the last few, dark years, you were different. Not just because you appeared out a ball of light and could lift tonnes like it was nothing, but because you understood him.

Riju studied you both a little longer. “Alright then, come this way.” She turned to walk out onto a small balcony, that looked out onto the east side of the city. Her jewellery made a pleasant clinking as she moved. "Forgive me if I seemed rude, y/n. My peoples's lives are in my own two hands, I must be careful. I must doubt every thought I have until I am sure it is the right thing to do. You understand?"

"Of course," You honestly hadn't expected Riju to trust you, even after witnessing the results of Zeldas tests back in Hyrule Castle. You still didn't understand how Link and Zelda could trust you given your origin, but you vowed to never let any of them down. You would never break anyone's trust if you could help it.

You stood to Link’s left with Riju on his right, staring out into the desert. Riju had a forlorn expression on her face and Link scrunched his eyebrows together, as if looking at something disgusting. You followed their gaze towards the tall blue tower, one of many scattered over Hyrule. You squinted until you realised that the darker section of the mountain below it, was a large mechanical animal, slumped against the hills and valleys of the wasteland mountains.

Four long legs lay in its wake, weak and limp, its long neck bent back against itself. It looked similar to the towers and shrines in structure but lacked the bright blue light that the gave out. It made you so sad, heartbroken even. Such a wonderful majestic being just tossed along the edge of a hill. You imagined it as it should have been; proud, tall, beautifully lit and decorated and towering above the landscape. You clenched your fists in anger.

“This is all I know so listen carefully; three nights ago, many of the guards reported a bright red light coming from beneath the beast. The blue glow of the beast went dim, and after several more explosions similar to the first, it disappeared completely. My soldiers rushed to Vah Naboris, only to see it fall limp against the ground.” You heard a spark of anger in her voice and she closed her eyes to take a breath. “There is usually a field of energy that prevents anyone from getting too close to the divine beasts, which is mediated by their own energy source. Clearly someone had found a way to deactivate it from the outside.”

“Was there any damage done to it’s structure?” Link asked quickly.

Riju shook her head. “It is solid, no dents, no pieces missing, no sign of any damage.” You turned to look in her direction, confused.

“But the explosions…” You said, thinking out loud.

“There was no evidence at the scene, of any other materials used accept the burn marks of explosions on the ground. The only way this is possible, is if the beast was drained of energy before the weapons were used. While under Ganon’s control, Link and I were able to deactivate it momentarily, but that took incredible effort and timing. I believe Link was able to free Vah Naboris from the calamity by going inside it, correct?”

Link nodded. “Even then it was a maze and required the Sheikah slate to do so.”

Riju nodded slowly. “As I suspected. The barrier is now completely gone, my soldiers could even enter the insides of the beast. It has been wonderful for my researchers, but still brings my people such a great sadness. We have all grown up alongside the divine beast, dormant or otherwise. Now to see it tumbling down a cliff, it’s like we have lost a great friend.” You heard such sadness in her voice, and your heart shattered.

You had never seen a divine beast before, only read about them in Zelda’s Library and heard stories from Link. You felt such an urge to run right back across the desert to the beast’s side, like it was indeed, a close friend.

After a moment of silence, Riju continued. “When Zelda sent warning of the Yiga clan member look alike invading Castle Town, I had the soldiers double their patrol of the Town to avoid any intruders. We are incredibly grateful to her for thinking of us. But we believe that they may have been involved in this deed, seeing as it happened so soon after the fire.”

You flashed a concerned glance at Link, who was still staring out towards the divine beast, eyebrows still knotted together. “So, you believe the Yiga impersonator turned off the shields, without getting past them, then bombing Vah Naboris without doing damage to it, leaving it deactivated?” You questioned.

“I know it makes no sense, but as I said, that is all I know.” She turned to stand in front of your both and crossed her arms across her chest. “I have to ask for your help. My first priority is my people’s safety, which means I and my soldiers stay here. The guardian’s Zelda had sent us are all on guard at night, but now our settlement is much larger, its impossible to do anything besides stay on high alert.” She turned to face you specifically.

“Link has proven himself to understand the beasts in the past, and you have proven yourself to be of a similar nature to the beasts themselves. This is a threat unlike anything we have ever seen, able to take down our most powerful and ancient weapons. There is no one more worthy for this task, in absence of Urbosa herself.” She gave you both stern looks.

“Will you help me save the Gerudo, once again?”

Link looked in your direction. “Of course, but I do not speak for y/n.”

Your anger towards those who hurt Vah Naboris and heart ache for the Gerudo peoples loss lead you to give a stern determined answer. “Without question.” You kept hold of Riju’s gaze, until she smirked and turned back to Link.

“It seems you will be saving Hyrule once again, Link”. She turned back to you and placed a hand on your shoulder. “Y/n, see that he does his job properly.” She gave you a sly wink and turned back into the palace throne room.


	20. Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ANNNNGGGSSSTT  
> Sorry this is such a short chapter! but i thought it was a really good point to end it. New chapter will be out soon to make up for it though!   
> Just wanted to say thank you to all the regular commenters and readers, seeing your familiar names pop up really makes my day!!! <3

It was now early evening. Link had suggested it would be best to ask around the town for more information, before heading out to the fallen Vah Naboris in the morning. You had agreed, especially after hearing the nights in the desert were bitterly cold. The sun was slowly setting, and beams of orange and red light softly lit up the market square, colourful mosaics glinting in the low light.

You began by asking the local merchants. Many of them had expressed a sudden drop in travellers visiting after the explosions. Word had obviously spread quickly, and while you and Link were busy ogling over each other, it had completely passed you by.

Link still wore the vai outfit, and you had both received several compliments in regard to a “beautiful pair of young women”. You were flattered, although Link felt a twist in the pit of his stomach each time someone got a little close to you. You were oblivious due to the fact you weren’t used to such attention. It made you feel bubbly and warm.

Link bought you a few exotic foods from the market to eat for dinner, like durian and voltfruit. It was all so refreshing, you couldn't get enough. Link giggled as you took a large bite of a slice of hyrdomelon, your cheeks filled so you looked like a fish. You couldn't help but laugh as well, which lead to melon bursting from your mouth. You had both fell about laughing, until your cheeks were red. You felt your face warming seeing Link enjoying himself.

After eating, you both off to nearby bar to continue asking around for information. No one seemed to know more than what Riju had told you, and you could see Link slowly becoming more and more impatient, even anxious. You knew the feeling of failure was creeping into his mind, and it definitely had something to do with his panic attacks.

You were chatting with the owner of an inn, a broad, curved Gerudo woman called Romah. Link was becoming more frustrated by the second.

“Did anyone unusual come to the inn that day?” Link felt like a broken record. All the same questions, same answers.

“I see lots of travellers here, of all different races.” Romah shrugged. “Not sure I could say any of them were unusu-,”

“Have you seen anything unusual in Town lately?” Link wasn’t even paying attention at this point but continued his questions in an intimidating tone.

“No, I can’t say I ha-,” Romah started, trying to remain polite. You cringed slightly as Link once again interrupted her.

“Do you know anyone who might have any information about the incide-,” Link began before Romah lost her patience.

“Young vai, I do not know any more about the _incident_ than anyone else in gerudo Town. We are all willing to help but if you insist on being so _rude_ perhaps you aren’t the one to do such a job.” Romah crossed her arms and you saw Link clench his fists. He turned, exasperated and left the inn.

You turned to Romah, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry, they are just upset about what is happening. I will make sure they come and apologise when they calm down…” You looked to the floor.

Romah sighed. “We are all distressed dear young vai, we all just express it differently. I am usually more patient with potential customers, but I am agitated.”  You looked up to see concern in her face. “The last few days have been terrible for business, and who knows if these attackers will return?” She shook her head. “I should not fill your head with such thoughts, our soldiers are more than capable of dealing with this.”

You smiled gently. “I understand how you feel, Vah Naboris is a gift to the Gerudo, and someone has taken it… I hope we manage to find who did it.”

“Thank you, brave vai. But as a Hylian, you will never understand what the divine beast means to us.” Romah spoke with sadness in her voice.

“But…” You were confused by that statement. You had to _be_ a Gerudo to understand their feelings? “Anyway, thank you, Romah.” You held up a hand as a goodbye and turned to find Link.

He was sat at the edge of a large planter, a little way into the square. His head in his hands.

“Link, that was a little mean… Zelda said it’s bad manners to interrupt-,”

“You don’t understand.” Link said cold, and quiet.

“I'm sure I do - You are frustrated because we couldn’t get any answer-“

“No, no you really don’t get it.” He stood and began to walk towards the large archway at the entrance to the town.

“Link!” You wandered after him, starting to feel worried. He had always been so patient with you, you but now you felt a little left behind. “What’s wrong?”

He stopped dead just before the entrance, turned and rubbed his eyes. “Y/n, you don’t understand, and you won’t if I explain it.” He sounded harsh and crossed his arms. “The divine beasts are our most powerful defence, enough to take down the Calamity. Up until now, _no one_ has been able to damage them. No one. Everyone is scared because now we can lose.” He said this through clenched teeth, and you could practically hear the tension in his head as he once again rubbed his eyes.

“I do understand… they are important and mean a lot to you…. And-,”

“NO.” You flinched a little as he snapped. “You weren’t there, you weren’t even alive. You have no idea what it is like to feel endangered every second, to need to protect yourself or be killed. You have no idea what _fear or pain IS._ You have no idea.”

You stood shocked, confusion flooding your mind. You couldn’t help it. You always tried your best. Link was suddenly so aggravated, and you had never seen him act like this. You suddenly felt very alone.

“Without those beasts, we had no hope. We would still be riddled with his creations and Zelda would still… and I would still have to… so many people…” A tear escaped his eye as his harsh words crumbled.

You felt tense but tried to reach a slightly shaky hand out to comfort him. He flinched and you pulled your hand away. He was right, you had no idea what they had all experienced. You had only ever seen the world without the Calamity. Who knows how dark the world was before then?

Link rubbed his eyes again and sighed, taking a deep breath. He quickly took something from his bag and threw a small pouch at you.

“Here. I need some time to myself. Get a room at the inn, stay safe… Please…” He turned to leave the Town, you opened the pouch to see a small collection of silver and red rupees. You were so conflicted, you stood and watched him leave, moving out of sight before you could bring yourself to move.

He had left you alone, and you now you couldn't help him.


	21. Confused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOOOOOOOO poor reader but damn Link gonna wish he stuck around :3  
> Also, forget to mention in the last two chapters, but Gerudo in this story is a lot larger than in the game, like it's probably more city sized. Just gives a little more realistic setting for the story. Also that the Hotel Oasis is multi story rather than just a few beds.   
> Much love, Much thanks. Enjoy! <3

You didn’t really know what to do with yourself. You had sat down on the ledge of a large planter in the Gerudo Town square and waited for Link to return. You thought maybe he just needed to take a walk away from other people. You hadn’t been on your own before, apart from in your room back in Hyrule Castle.

A wave of sadness crashed into your chest, along with the guilt and confusion Link had left you with. You missed Zelda, your friends, your room, the familiar corridors and library. You missed knowing what was normal, what you could and couldn’t do. Now you felt scared to move.

The sun had long set, and the night was starting to get cold. You began shivering and yawned as you grew tired. You thought about taking Link’s advice and getting a room at the inn, but your gut twisted at the thought of him being alone all night. You sat a while longer, hoping to meet him before going back to the inn, but began to doze off.

“Dear young vai, you must get of the streets for the night.” You jumped slightly and pulled your eyes open, to see a gerudo soldier lent over you. You blushed as she giggled slightly.

“Sorry, I was waiting for my friend to come back…” You suppose Link had thought of your safety first, asking you to find a place for the night. You could easily handle yourself in a fight, but with these strange new enemies it wasn’t worth the risk.

“Let me escort you, young one.” The soldier stood back up and gestured for you to follow.

“Thank you,” You gave a defeated smile up to the soldier. You reached the inn and the soldier bid you goodbye. You entered to find Romah still behind the counter.

“Welcome back dear. Oh, where is your friend?” She asked, concerned.

“I’m not sure… They got pretty mad and went off on their own and I didn’t want to make it worse.” You felt a little tremble in your voice and shook your head. “I uh, need to book a room please?”

Romah still seemed concerned but brought out a ledger from beneath the counter. “Would you like a double room? In case your friend comes to find you? It’s a little extra but I’d hate to leave someone out at night right now.”

You assumed a double room meant two beds, which seemed like a good idea. You nodded and Romah scribbled something down in her ledger.

“Would you like to upgrade to our spa plan? I think you would love it, dear. In the morning you will get our special spa treatment, we are famous for it!” Romah added.

“I’d love to but, not right now thank you.” You smiled faintly, not sure if Link would be revealed as a voe during that kind of thing, if he even came back before morning.

“Okay, I just need your names and 40 rupees!” Romah smiled.

“Uh, Link and y/n, and uh… forgive me, but I’m not sure how much these are worth…” You held up the pouch and pulled out a silver rupee.

Romah looked confused. “Oh, well… That one is worth 100 rupees. I will give you 3 red rupees, each worth 20, as change for that one.”

You nodded and handed her the payment. She passed over your change, you thanked her, and she passed you a small bronze key over the counter. She gave you directions to your room and wished you a goodnight. You looked to the floor and slowly made your way to the stairs.

“Dear, if your friend comes in, I will send them up to you, okay?” Romah could tell you were worried and thought she could do you a favour.

“Thank you!” You smiled, mind put at ease, before hopping up the tall staircase to your room. You turned to the right and found your room at the end of the corridor.

You opened the door to reveal a small, sandy coloured room with a small desk in the corner and a doorway which you assumed lead to a bathroom and one bed. A double bed.

You stopped and quickly shut and locked the door. This is not what you thought “double room” meant. Does this mean you and Link would have to share? You weren’t sure he would be okay with that. You took a tentative step towards the bed, as if were a dangerous animal, and climbed on top of the sheets. This might not even be a problem if Link stayed out all night.

Now you were even more confused. You felt sad because you missed your friends and Zelda, worried because you were all alone and Link still wasn’t back, uncomfortable because when he did come back, he’d have to sleep with you and guilty because you had promised to help him with all his problems and now, he was gone.

You sighed, pulling your bag from your shoulders and setting it in front of you, looking for something to do. You hadn’t brought much, but then you didn’t have many possessions as it was. A corner of pink caught your eye. You felt yourself blush brightly, the images and drawings it contained streaming through your mind. Despite your embarrassment, you knew the book also contained a lot of information on emotions, and relationships. Perhaps it would help you understand your feelings and Link’s and keep your mind off worrying about him.

You looked around the room once again, as if checking for anyone who might catch you. You pulled the book out from your bag, pushed your bag onto the floor, and pushed yourself back to lean against the pillows. You opened the book slowly and rifled through the pages until you found the right section.

You read over a few chapters that spoke more specifically on the emotional parts of love rather than physical. The writer talked about admitting your feelings to another, but how it can sometimes be embarrassing for one or both involved. They wrote about signs to look out for in someone special, that may give away their own feelings for yourself. They stressed that it shouldn’t matter too much, and that you shouldn’t be worried about their reaction to much. If they get angry or upset, then that isn’t your fault, and someone who cared about you would just politely decline your feelings.

Such signs included wanting to spend lots of time with you, being happy whenever you are near them, simple touches like hand holding and cupping your cheek in more tender moments. You recognised a few of these signs in Link, and your heart was racing as you sped through to the next page.

This part talked about what to do when someone didn’t feel the same way. You learned not to pressure anyone, make them feel guilty, or blame them for perhaps feeling sad at their lack of love for you. The writer wrote about signs you may be upsetting someone included making excuses to get away from you, avoiding eye contact, saying things that upset you. You had seen all of these in Link right before he left you alone.

You let the book flop onto your lap, and you sighed up to the ceiling. Did Link love you back or not? Maybe he did and you did something to not love your anymore? But what did you do? Maybe after he got to know you, he decided you weren’t good enough?

You sighed again and tried to clear your head. You absentmindedly flipped through the next few pages of the book, landing on a chapter titled “masturbation”.

You’d not heard that word before. You read on to find it was a way of giving yourself sexual pleasure, by touching yourself in certain places. Males and females obviously had different parts, so they did it in different ways. You interest suddenly peaked, you read on, a slowly rising heat lit deep within your gut.

Your heart skipped a beat while reading over the details of male masturbation. You wandered if Link ever did anything like this. You built up an image in your head, Link arching his back off the bed, hand wrapped around his hardened length, heavily breathing and chest red in a blush. Your imagination took it a step further as you imagined him saying your name while breathless.

You slapped your hands over your face in embarrassment, suddenly realising what you were doing. Your heart was racing, and you felt your face burning under your hands. Your arousal was becoming difficult to ignore, yet you slowly lowered your hands and continued reading, your curiosity taking over. You finished reading the section and closed the book, an idea forming in your mind.

Your alone, the door was locked, and Link probably would be out all night if he wasn’t back by now. No one would find out, and the ache between your legs was becoming unbearable. You were sure touching yourself would at least provide you some relief. You put the book back in your bag, double checked the door, and returned to the bed, pushing the blanket to the end of the bed, to avoid making a mess.

You removed you face veil and placed it down on the floor next to the bed. You pulled your gerudo style clothing down to your ankles, leaving you in nothing but your underwear. You took a deep breath, and silently prayed to the goddesses Link would be safe, but not come back too soon.


	22. Alone Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH  
> please let me know if this was well written, note really done much of THIS before.  
> Also, its smut, but not the smut you were expecting ;)  
> I know i left you on a cliffhanger but... HAVE ANOTHER ONE MUHAHAHAHAH  
> Much love <3

Link kicked a small rock over the edge of the cliff face and watched it fall, disappearing into a cloud of fog forming over the sand below. He had changed into warm clothing, before scaling the first rocky shelf that made up the Gerudo Highlands. Usually this would take over a day for someone to get all the way up here, following trails and staying away from sharp inclines, but Link was a very quick climber and in his frustrated state he didn’t really care for the risk.

He crouched at the edge of the cliff and crossed his arms around his knees. He was angry at himself. Not only for feeling like he was struggling to find answers, but because he had taken it out on you. He knew there was no way for you to understand the world, having only experienced it for a short time, yet still he had blamed you. He felt shame growing in the back of his mind, like creeping vines.

He stood up again, shaking his arms and head trying to remove some amount of frustration. He knew the risk of being out here alone and would have to concentrate, but his mind kept wandering. He found a small cave nearby and crawled inside. The small opening lead to a larger space, enough for him to stand if he wanted to, but he lent against the far wall instead to rest.

Link clenched is fists and threw is head back against the wall in the darkness. He was trying desperately not to let the anger subside into self-hatred and a possible panic attack. He didn’t want to let himself relapse into those cold, lonely nights he spent out in the middle of nowhere trying to run from the pain it caused. He wished you were with him, you were, so far, one of the only people who knew exactly how to make him feel better.

Oh, Goddesses and how had he thanked you? By leaving you alone in a strange town full of strange people, where you didn’t even understand basic customs or currency yet. He hoped at the very least the inn keeper would be decent enough to explain things to you and help you find a room. Link rubbed his eyes, his emotions reaching a tipping point. He needed to distract himself from all these negative feelings.

He took in a deep breath and exhaled. Being in a small enclosed space helped – no distractions, less danger and no people to judge him. He steadied his breathing and tried to clear his mind. This was something the soldier had written about in their memoirs, it had been incredibly helpful, that book.

But Link, for the life of him, could not stop thinking about you. He didn’t know if it was because he was worried, or if his feelings were so mixed up, he was desperately clinging to the one thing that had helped more than anything. You were so wonderful, so kind and innocent, so oblivious to how much you had messed up Link’s poor mind. He thought back to the short stay at the Oasis, buying you those gerudo clothes and instantly regretting it.

Well, regret is a strong word, he loved seeing so much of your skin, but felt a little guilty for being so self-indulgent. But the way the shorts hung around your hips, following the curves of your ass and thighs, and the amount of flesh that was shown on your top half had almost choked him there and then. Shoulders, neck, chest, stomach, curve of your lower back…

Link rubbed his face yet again, a different kind of frustration building in his gut. He looked down at the slight bulge growing between his legs and looked back up at the ceiling. He’d avoided doing this for so long, feeling guilty about the fact that it was you, someone so innocent and naive, that was making him want to touch himself. But right now, it felt like the only possible distraction. Besides, who would find him way up here?

Link took another sigh, knowing he would never be able to have the same kind of control over himself around you ever again, and began to undo his trousers. Pushing them and his underwear out of the way, he allowed his cock to lean against his abdomen. Link looked back up to the ceiling and screwed his eyes shut. He took another deep breath, it had been years since he’d last done this it felt a little strange.

Without looking he let his hand settle around his shaft, starting with slow movements. He felt sparks fly up through his spine and let out a shaky sigh as he relaxed into the feeling. Goddesses, he had forgotten how good this felt.

He ran his fingers along the underside of his cock, pressing against the firm surface. He let out a sudden moan as he moved over the slit, his free hand flying up to cover his mouth. The slight ache of embarrassment and guilt had long been overshadowed by the growing pleasure coursing through Links body.

Thoughts of yourself came flooding back to him. His mind ran rampant with sexual fantasies all revolving around you – If only he had pulled you back into that tent and ran his mouth over your exposed shoulders, if only he had pinned you back down after sparring practice and kissed you right there, if only he could have seen you in that bathtub...

He allowed his hand to move a little faster, causing his hips to shiver and buck into his hand. He continued to muffle the loud moaning this caused with his other hand, biting his lips to a dark, bruised colour.

He thought of you dancing for him in the gerudo clothing. Hips swaying as Link ran his hands over your ass, pulling you closer, slipping those shorts down and watching you head snap back in pleasure as he finally took a taste.

Link arched his back away from the wall as the deep pressure in his gut became unbearable. His hand moved faster, loosing its smooth rhythm. Link looked down at himself, skin red with heat, sweating, his cock hard, thick in his hand and smeared with his own slick. Visions of your y/e/c, innocent eyes watching him from between his legs, taking him into your mouth and swirling your tongue over him, eyes half lidded and in utter heaven.

_“You taste so good, Link…”_

“Y/n…” Link let his eyes flutter closed as he felt his body begin to tense, the heat in his body began to centre around his straining cock.

_“Link… Let me be yours,"_

“y/n... Ah, Hah!” Link flung his head back against the wall of the small cave, hips twitching as his cock spilled ribbons of white over his stomach. His free hand clenched into a fist as his other worked long, slow strokes on his erection until he was finished.

Link lay still for a moment, face red and a sheen of sweat coating his exposed skin. He felt like he was floating, still watching your beautiful face in his imagination. He wanted more than anything to pull you close and hold you against his chest. He let out a long sigh, a slight feeling of loneliness creeping into his heart, which was quickly followed by guilt, as Link surveyed the mess he’d made.

He rushed to pull some old rags from his bag and clean himself up, scolding himself for getting carried away. He’d never be able to look you in the eyes again. Not without hearing your voice in his head whispering things he desperately wanted to hear. Link redressed himself, then screwed the rags up and stuffed them in a pocket, promising to bury them somewhere no one would ever find them before he got back to Gerudo town.

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, now sat up cross legged. He still felt a little lonely, and wanted nothing more than to pull you close, or at least know you were safe.

Oh, Goddesses, where you safe? He’d given you money and instructions yes, but you had no idea what to do with them. What if the Yiga had found you? Attacked the town? What if someone had robbed you? Some pervert had found his way in and caught you? What it you were hurt? Or alone? Or…or…

Link took a deep breath and scolded himself a second time. He couldn’t let his fears take over again before he could make sure you were okay. His heart racing, images of you alone, hurt, dying or worse flying through his imagination - Stupid Hylian boy paying more attention to his dick that the person he loved - even if he wasn’t quite ready to admit it. He crawled from the cave and hurried back to town, promising himself that if you were okay, he would pluck up the courage to at the very least give you a hug.

“y/n…”


	23. Exposure (female reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ITS A LONG ONE BABES  
> I'm actually super happy with this chapter. Hope you guys like it, fluffffyyyyyyyyy  
> much love <3  
> (Male version soon!!!)

_“Y/n…”_

Your imagination had run wild the moment the pleasure hit you. You had begun slow, tentatively touching yourself until you had figured out your favourite places. You slowly became slick as you rubbed long lines along the folds of your core, hesitating at the sensitive bump at the edge, shivering as waves of electricity flew through your body.

_“You’re so beautiful… y/n…”_

Your eyes fluttered shut as you slid a finger inside yourself, breath caught in your throat and a slow sigh left your mouth. You began to move in and out, spreading slick over your thighs, breathless and an intense red blush travelling across your body. You added a second finger and curled them against your inner walls.

_“Goddesses, look at you…”_

Your mind had long since drowned in pleasure and fantasies inspired by your book. Phantom hands laid trails over your heated skin, images of a certain Hylian’s body leaning over you, pressing against your shaking body. Your clouded mind wove fantasy after fantasy, a familiar voice playing in your head.

_“Y/n, please…”_

Behind your closed eyes, images of Link, shirtless and panting above you, whispered in your ears. Your fingers curled and pushed repeatedly within you, panting slowly turned to soft moans and the pressure in your gut began to rise. Your body was hot and rigid, arching up away from the mattress.

“Auuh, Link…”

 

Link arrived back at the Gerudo Town entrance, having quickly changed back into his vai clothing behind the nearby shrine. He quickly made his way to the inn, guided by wary soldiers patrolling the streets. The kind innkeeper recognised him, handed him a small key and directed the tired Hylian up the stairs. Link hurried up the stairs, replaying his planned apology for you in his head. His heart ached with nerves, terrified you now hate him for abandoning you.

He reached the door to your shared room, took a deep breath and told himself to not be so dramatic. His nerves calmed, and in an effort to not wake you from sleeping, he carefully unlocked the door as quietly as possible.

“Liiinnnnkkk….”

The door opened only a few inches before Link froze, sparks flying straight down his body hearing his name said in such a way. He swallowed as his eyes found your sweating body, clearly unaware of him having opened the door.

He couldn’t help it. His jaw dropped open and he just stared, wide eyed and heart beating harder than ever. You arched from the bed, legs split, presenting soft pink folds, heated and slick. Your chest rose and fell in quick breaths, releasing sinful moans and murmuring Link’s name. He watched your fingers push deeper into yourself and pull a soft cry from your mouth, your face screwing up in pleasure.

Links chest almost burst, and in a sudden overwhelming state of nerves, he quickly turned away and shut the door as carefully as he could. He brought his hands up to his face and rubbed his eyes, combing them through his hair, before slumping to the floor, leaning against the door.

It was late enough that no one could see his flustered state. His cheeks burned and trousers quickly grew tight. He tried to calm himself but every time he closed his eyes, your trembling, shining body filled his head and all he heard was his name in your voice.

He slapped his hands up over his face. He couldn’t leave now, the soldiers outside would drag him right back, and he dared not to go back into the room in case he had been mistaken. Even if it had undeniably been his name on your lips, his doubtful mind had your heart aching in denial.

He decided he would just have to wait until you were finished. He thought it a little impolite to just sit outside your room but going back downstairs with a fake excuse to buy a separate room at this hour seemed absurd. Link desperately recited words from the soldier’s memoir in an effort to keep focused.

 

Your body suddenly tensed violently, your inner walls tightening around your fingers as you pulled them into a curl just a few more times. Your voice cracked as an uncontrolled shriek left you, slick leaking from between your legs onto your hand. Your head spun as pleasure washed over you, your legs shaking and weak, as you desperately held yourself at the perfect angle through your release.

You felt the pressure disperse and relaxed into the soft mattress. You felt like you were floating, giddy and tingling head to toe. You sighed and smiled to yourself, before giggling at how silly you felt for doing so. You felt brilliant and would definitely be doing that again.

You rose slowly and tiptoed into the small bathroom. You cleaned up quickly, pulled a night gown from your pack and pulled it on. You returned to the bed and pulled the blanket back up to cover you as the cold night began to cool your heated skin. You sighed again as you sank into the soft bed, dreams of holding Link close to you swam through your mind.

 

Link had drifted to sleep himself at some point and came to not too long afterwards. He rubbed his eyes and once again dismissed the endless dirty thoughts you had triggered in his mind. He stood slowly and placed a pointed ear to the door, listening carefully.

He heard nothing and took a deep breath before turning the door handle. He found you curled up on the far side of the bed, sleeping soundly. In a double bed.

Link swallowed again as he realised, he would have to sleep at your side, right after witnessing you in such an exposed state. Link wandered if you had done that before. How long had you known about all of that? Had Zelda taught you? Had you had the knowledge from the start?

Link shook his head and turned away. He pulled off his bag, weapons, shoes and veil, changing into baggy trousers and shirt, preying no one would attempt to search the Inn for any voe present. He arranged them on his side of the room and sat down on the bed.

You were sleeping so calmly, the expression on your face seemed to content. Link felt his heart swell with love as he watched you sleep, his chest warming with an unrecognisable happiness. He pulled his gaze away, feeling uncomfortable just staring at you, and gently pulled the blankets over himself.

Link faced away from you, in an effort to reduce and uncomfortable or awkward scenarios in the morning. He fell to sleep relatively quickly, as the sound of your steady breathing lulled him into stillness.

 

A soft light danced in front of Link’s eyes. He was sat under a tree outside Castle Town, watching fireflies dancing near the bank of the river. The sounds echoed through his memory, relaxing and refreshing. He felt like he was floating, no worries, no pain, just letting time pass. He had missed Castle Town and turned to look at the quiet cluster of buildings, the soft glow of lanterns shining against Hyrule Castle. He sighed, this was indeed one of his favourite places, but something was missing. He couldn’t pull his mind out of the fog, so let the issue go.

What felt like hours passed, as Link sat content by the river. A low echo of a voice met his ears. As it got louder, Link stood and looked around to see who it was. He caught site of Castle Town, the lights were now much brighter, smoking, blurred and an angry red.

His vision blurred as he stumbled forward, running as fast as he could towards the burning settlement. His lungs burned as smoke filled them but continued running. He stopped and swayed when he caught sight of shadowy figures looming over bodies, tearing them apart. Link backed away and continued running through the town.

Building fell and people screamed, familiar faces pressed into the dirt passed him by, as his vision became even more blurred and legs weaker with every step. He fell to his knees and looked up to see your face looking down at him.

He shouted at you to run but no sound came out. You couldn’t hear him, you were in danger, he had to stand and protect you. As he pushed himself up to his feet, gravity pulled him back down onto his knees. He screamed at you to run but you didn’t move.

A shadow appeared in a flash of blazing fire beside you.

 

“Link?”

You had woken to find him curled up next to you. This shocked you initially, as a stream of questions flooded your mind. Had he seen anything? Heard anything? You had been rather loud and was suddenly overcome with embarrassment.

At that moment, Link began twitching violently, body rigid and stiffening. You sat up on your knees and he rolled over to his back, fists clenching, and jaw shut tight, tears streaming from closed eyes.

“Link!” You frantically moved closer to him and placed your hands on his shoulders. “Link please!”

He sat up suddenly and grabbed your shoulders, eyes wide open and red from crying. He looked you up and down hastily as his fast breathing caught in his throat.

“y/n, are you hurt? Did they get you? I couldn’t… and they got you. They wouldn’t… I couldn’t get to you, they hurt so many… I-“

“Link, Link! Look at me,” You caught his eye and held his face in your hands. “Link everything is okay, you are safe, so am I, no one is going to hurt me.”

His eyes frantically darted over you again to double check, he looked around the room and his grip on your shoulders relaxed. His mind was flooded with terrible scenes. There was so much fire, blood, darkness and the one of the shadows that had been chasing him through the nightmare wrapped itself around you. He had heard you screaming.

Tears were still flowing from his frantic eyes, his breathing painfully fast and erratic. You placed one hand against his chest and the other to the side of his head. He kept his eyes on yours.

“Breathe with me.” You took in a slow, deep breath. He tried to mimic you, getting stuck part way through and letting out a harsh cough, which quickly became a sob.

Link felt so very overwhelmed. He was confused by his emotions fluctuating so much and frustrated at the fact he still couldn’t get through a decent week of sleep without these stupid nightmares. He let go of his stubbornness and rested his head on your shoulder and sobbed into your neck.

“Breathe, Link. I’ve got you.” The closeness was a little uncomfortable. Not that you didn’t want this, but you weren’t quite used to it yet, not to mention the circumstances weren’t ideal. But this is clearly what Link needed - your thoughts were confirmed as he took a few shaky breaths along with you.

As he calmed, Link fell into a state of numbness. His eyes were tired and puffy, as he let his arms fall around your waist he sighed deeply. You let yourself sink a little further into his arms, feeling a little guilty for being selfish. But then Link just lent a little further in himself.

You gently lay back against the pillows, realising Link was already half asleep. Without thinking, he pulled you in close, nuzzling further into your neck. He hot breath on your skin sent shivers through your body, but you were too tired to react. You closed your eyes, comforted knowing you were able to help Link, and happy that he trusted you to do so.

You fell into the best nights sleep you had ever had.


	24. Exposure (Male reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MALE VERSION YO

_“Y/n…”_

Your imagination had run wild the moment the pleasure hit you. You had begun slow, tentatively touching yourself until you had figured out your favourite places. You slowly became harder as you rubbed long lines along the length of your cock, hesitating at the sensitive slit at the tip, shivering as waves of electricity flew through your body.

_“You’re so beautiful… y/n…”_

Your eyes fluttered shut as your thumb swiped over the head, breath caught in your throat and a slow sigh left your mouth. You began to move up and down, spreading a small bead of slick over your length, breathless and an intense red blush travelling across your body. You let your hand move a little faster.

_“Goddesses, look at you…”_

Your mind had long since drowned in pleasure and fantasies inspired by your book. Phantom hands laid trails over your heated skin, images of a certain Hylian’s body leaning over you, pressing against your shaking body. Your clouded mind wove fantasy after fantasy, a familiar voice playing in your head.

_“Y/n, please…”_

Behind your closed eyes, images of Link, shirtless and panting above you, whispered in your ears. Your fingers tightened and moved faster still, panting slowly turned to soft moans and the pressure in your gut began to rise. Your body was hot and rigid, arching up away from the mattress.

“Auuh, Link…”

 

Link arrived back at the Gerudo Town entrance, having quickly changed back into his vai clothing behind the nearby shrine. He quickly made his way to the inn, guided by waring soldiers patrolling the streets. The kind innkeeper recognised him, handed him a small key and directed the tired Hylian up the stairs. Link hurried up the stairs, replaying his planned apology for you in his head. His heart ached with nerves, terrified you now hate him for abandoning you.

He reached the door to your shared room, took a deep breath and told himself to not be so dramatic. His nerves calmed, and in an effort to not wake you from sleeping, he carefully unlocked the door as quietly as possible.

“Liiinnnnkkk….”

The door opened only a few inches before Link froze, sparks flying straight down his body hearing his name said in such a way. He swallowed as his eyes found your sweating body, clearly unaware of him having opened the door.

He couldn’t help it. His jaw dropped open and he just stared, wide eyed and heart beating harder than ever. You arched from the bed, legs split, thick, hard cock in hand, heated and slick. Your chest rose and fell in quick breaths, releasing sinful moans and murmuring Link’s name. He watched you pleasure yourself as a soft cry fell from your mouth, your face screwing up in pleasure.

Links chest almost burst, and in a sudden overwhelming state of nerves, he quickly turned away and shut the door as carefully as he could. He brought his hands up to his face and rubbed his eyes, combing them through his hair, before slumping to the floor, leaning against the door.

It was late enough that no one could see his flustered state. His cheeks burned and trousers quickly grew tight. He tried to calm himself but every time he closed his eyes, your trembling, shining body filled his head and all he heard was his name in your voice.

He slapped his hands up over his face. He couldn’t leave now, the soldiers outside would drag him right back, and he dared not to go back into the room in case he had been mistaken. Even if it had undeniably been his name on your lips, his doubtful mind had your heart aching in denial.

He decided he would just have to wait until you were finished. He thought it a little impolite to just sit outside your room but going back downstairs with a fake excuse to buy a separate room at this hour seemed absurd. Link desperately recited words from the soldier’s memoir in an effort to keep focused.

 

Your body suddenly tensed violently, your cock twitching as you stroked its length just a few more times. Your voice cracked as an uncontrolled shriek left you, reams of white liquid coating your hand and stomach. Your head spun as pleasure washed over you, your legs shaking and weak, as you desperately pulled yourself through your release.

You felt the pressure disperse and relaxed into the soft mattress. You felt like you were floating, giddy and tingling head to toe. You sighed and smiled to yourself, before giggling at how silly you felt for doing so. You felt brilliant and would definitely be doing that again.

You rose slowly and tiptoed into the small bathroom. You cleaned up quickly, pulled a night shirt from your pack and pulled it on. You returned to the bed and pulled the blanket back up to cover you as the cold night began to cool your heated skin. You sighed again as you sank into the soft bed, dreams of holding Link close to you swam through your mind.

 

Link had drifted to sleep himself at some point and came to not too long afterwards. He rubbed his eyes and once again dismissed the endless dirty thoughts you had triggered in his mind. He stood slowly and placed a pointed ear to the door, listening carefully.

He heard nothing and took a deep breath before turning the door handle. He found you curled up on the far side of the bed, sleeping soundly. In a double bed.

Link swallowed again as he realised, he would have to sleep at your side, right after witnessing you in such an exposed state. Link wandered if you had done that before. How long had you known about all of that? Had Zelda taught you? Had you had the knowledge from the start?

Link shook his head and turned away. He pulled off his bag, weapons, shoes and veil, changing into baggy trousers and shirt, preying no one would attempt to search the Inn for any voe present. He arranged them on his side of the room and sat down on the bed.

You were sleeping so calmly, the expression on your face seemed to content. Link felt his heart swell with love as he watched you sleep, his chest warming with an unrecognisable happiness. He pulled his gaze away, feeling uncomfortable just staring at you, and gently pulled the blankets over himself.

Link faced away from you, in an effort to reduce and uncomfortable or awkward scenarios in the morning. He fell to sleep relatively quickly, as the sound of your steady breathing lulled him into stillness.

 

A soft light danced in front of Link’s eyes. He was sat under a tree outside Castle Town, watching fireflies dancing near the bank of the river. The sounds echoed through his memory, relaxing and refreshing. He felt like he was floating, no worries, no pain, just letting time pass. He had missed Castle Town and turned to look at the quiet cluster of buildings, the soft glow of lanterns shining against Hyrule Castle. He sighed, this was indeed one of his favourite places, but something was missing. He couldn’t pull his mind out of the fog, so let the issue go.

What felt like hours passed, as Link sat content by the river. A low echo of a voice met his ears. As it got louder, Link stood and looked around to see who it was. He caught site of Castle Town, the lights were now much brighter, smoking, blurred and an angry red.

His vision blurred as he stumbled forward, running as fast as he could towards the burning settlement. His lungs burned as smoke filled them but continued running. He stopped and swayed when he caught sight of shadowy figures looming over bodies, tearing them apart. Link backed away and continued running through the town.

Building fell and people screamed, familiar faces pressed into the dirt passed him by, as his vision became even more blurred and legs weaker with every step. He fell to his knees and looked up to see your face looking down at him.

He shouted at you to run but no sound came out. You couldn’t hear him, you were in danger, he had to stand and protect you. As he pushed himself up to his feet, gravity pulled him back down onto his knees. He screamed at you to run but you didn’t move.

A shadow appeared in a flash of blazing fire beside you.

 

“Link?”

You had woken to find him curled up next to you. This shocked you initially, as a stream of questions flooded your mind. Had he seen anything? Heard anything? You had been rather loud and was suddenly overcome with embarrassment.

At that moment, Link began twitching violently, body rigid and stiffening. You sat up on your knees and he rolled over to his back, fists clenching, and jaw shut tight, tears streaming from closed eyes.

“Link!” You frantically moved closer to him and placed your hands on his shoulders. “Link please!”

He sat up suddenly and grabbed your shoulders, eyes wide open and red from crying. He looked you up and down hastily as his fast breathing caught in his throat.

“y/n, are you hurt? Did they get you? I couldn’t… and they got you. They wouldn’t… I couldn’t get to you, they hurt so many… I-“

“Link, Link! Look at me,” You caught his eye and held his face in your hands. “Link everything is okay, you are safe, so am I, no one is going to hurt me.”

His eyes frantically darted over you again to double check, he looked around the room and his grip on your shoulders relaxed. His mind was flooded with terrible scenes. There was so much fire, blood, darkness and the one of the shadows that had been chasing him through the nightmare wrapped itself around you. He had heard you screaming.

Tears were still flowing from his frantic eyes, his breathing painfully fast and erratic. You placed one hand against his chest and the other to the side of his head. He kept his eyes on yours.

“Breathe with me.” You took in a slow, deep breath. He tried to mimic you, getting stuck part way through and letting out a harsh cough, which quickly became a sob.

Link felt so very overwhelmed. He was confused by his emotions fluctuating so much and frustrated at the fact he still couldn’t get through a decent week of sleep without these stupid nightmares. He let go of his stubbornness and rested his head on your shoulder and sobbed into your neck.

“Breathe, Link. I’ve got you.” The closeness was a little uncomfortable. Not that you didn’t want this, but you weren’t quite used to it yet, not to mention the circumstances weren’t ideal. But this is clearly what Link needed - your thoughts were confirmed as he took a few shaky breaths along with you.

As he calmed, Link fell into a state of numbness. His eyes were tired and puffy, as he let his arms fall around your waist he sighed deeply. You let yourself sink a little further into his arms, feeling a little guilty for being selfish. But then Link just lent a little further in himself.

You gently lay back against the pillows, realising Link was already half asleep. Without thinking, he pulled you in close, nuzzling further into your neck. He hot breath on your skin sent shivers through your body, but you were too tired to react. You closed your eyes, comforted knowing you were able to help Link, and happy that he trusted you to do so.

You fell into the best nights sleep you had ever had.


	25. Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHHH FLUFF AND PLOT MY TWO FAVES  
> long one bois!!!!!!!!!!!1  
> Enjoy <3  
> Also, happy valentines day!!! Love yourself!!! Love each other!!! Love your pets!!! <3 <3

You woke late the next morning, Link was still sleeping though his face was desperately tired. His face lay against the crook of your elbow, arms still resting over your waist. You felt a little conflicted, unsure if Link had wanted to be close due to his nightmare or because it was you, he wanted close. The latter seemed less likely, and you were aware hugs in general were helpful for people feeling bad. Perhaps he just needed a person to hold to feel better, and the fact it was you made no difference. This realisation made your heart ache a little, but you felt happy you could bring him to such a calm state.

You felt a little out of place being so close to him while he slept. Sure, your heart warmed seeing him so peaceful, arms wrapped around your body. But the circumstances for which it came about weren’t what you had imagined. You had hoped you could eventually confess your feelings for him, Link would then pull you in close and hold you against him, whispering loving words to you in your intimate space.

You snapped out of your daydream and gently pulled yourself from Links arms, heart aching from having to leave him to wake up alone. You wanted nothing more than to pull him closer and to wake him with kisses, but you didn’t fully understand Link’s feelings, and as your book had said, you were reluctant to pressure him into anything he wasn’t ready for.

You sighed and turned your gaze away from the sleeping Hylian, heading into the bathroom to get washed and dressed. Today you were both planning on heading out into the mountains, where Link had said the last known Yiga clan had been based. Perhaps the new group had rebuilt the base after Link had emptied it so many years ago. It seemed a little obvious, to set up base in exactly the same place as before, but in any case, the divine beast’s attacker may have hidden there.

Your mind was a lot clearer this morning. Now Link was back safely, you had taken care of some personal issues and you had a clear plan for the day you felt refreshed and stable. You just hoped Link wouldn’t blame himself for getting angry and being a little harsh towards you. If he did you would make sure to tell him you didn’t blame him, and it was just a misunderstanding. You just hoped he wouldn’t leave you again.

 

Link woke to find you had left. He could hear shuffling from the bathroom and assumed you had gone to get ready for the day. He felt a little lonely but understood you were probably a little uncomfortable sleeping so close to him. He hoped you had enjoyed it as much as he had. He had fallen asleep listening to your steady breathing, inhaling the scent of your soft skin at your neck, holding you as closely as he dared without making you feel weird.

It had done wanders in calming him, and the rest of his night had been filled with a numb, dreamless sleep. He wanted nothing more than to thank you for being so non-judgemental after his nightmare, not questioning his rambling, not scolding him for crying. He had felt so embarrassed, but the moment you had brought him closer it had all melted away, knowing you just accepted him for who he was.

He sighed. He thought back to the previous day and how he had scolded you. He felt guilty and hoped he could make it up to you, promising himself to apologise as soon as you had finished in the bathroom. He closed his eyes and his sleepy mind began to wander.

He remembered running back to you the previous night. Terrified something had happened to you because of him. Now he felt silly, because of course you were capable of looking after yourself. You weren’t stupid, weak or anything less than Link. You were precious to him, that was why he worried.

He then recalled coming back to the room and finding you in such a compromised position. Link tried to push the memory deep into the back of his mind, as your sensual murmurings of his name replayed in his head. He had doubted it in the moments afterwards, but now the possibility of it being someone else’s named filled him with a bitter anger. Link sat up, kneeling on his knees, and rubbed his eyes. It wasn’t any of Link’s business anyway, he shouldn’t have seen anything to begin with.

The door to the bathroom opened and Link looked up with a sleepy smile. You blushed as his eyes flickered up and down your body, once again dressed in the vai gerudo clothing. Link looked down into his lap.

“Uhh, y/n…” Links nerves took over. He just wanted to apologise for being rude, but his breath began to shake. “I want to apologise. For yesterday.” He looked up into your eyes with a serious expression.

“Link, there’s nothing to apologise for. You were tired, there was a misunderstanding and you needed some space. I understand.” You played with the hem of your veil in your hands as you spoke.

“No, it’s not okay.” Link stood and took your hands in his gently. “I should not have left you on your own. You are strong, capable but you’re are still so new to everything.” His words made you blush again, he sounded so genuine and caring.

“No matter how upset I get with myself, I should not have left you alone in such an unfamiliar face. That was unfair. Forgive me.” Link bowed his head.

You stayed silent for a moment. Link was right, you had been so confused on your own, lost and alone. But you didn’t want to make him feel bad. “I forgive you Link, just please…” You looked down at the floor as he looked up. “Don’t leave me again. I don’t like being alone. I don’t like you being so far away…”

Link was a little shocked. Your really cared for him? Or were you just saying that because you were the only person you knew here? He pushed his intrusive questions to the side. “I promise, y/n. I won’t leave you alone again, unless I know we are both safe.”

Your eyes flash up for a moment to meet his with a small smile, to see him smiling right back. You looked down at your hands still in his, your face heating up yet again. Link followed your gaze, coughed gently and pulled his hands away, reluctantly.

“I should, uh… get ready.” Link passed you to open the bathroom door.

“Oh, Link. I just want you to know.” You turned to face him again and he met you with a curious gaze. “Last night, the nightmare… please don’t feel bad about it… and… and if you ever need to… I’ll help you…” Your voice got quieter as you spoke, feeling embarrassed as the idea was voiced out loud.

Link took a step closer to you and pulled you into a hug, which surprised you a little. It was short but sweet, his arms closing around the top of your back and head resting on your shoulder.

“Thank you.” He said, before turning back and returning to the bathroom. He left you blushing, chest filled with warm, bubbly happiness.

 

The rest of the day was pretty calm and enjoyable. The bubbly happiness stayed with you for the most of it, spending time with Link, feeling like you had now most definitely earned his trust. Once Link was ready you left the inn, both dressed in your matching outfits, to buy some breakfast from the market. The square was emptier than it had been the day before. For Link this was strange, the square was usually filled with tourists.

Link started to mentally go over checks before leaving. He had plenty of provisions for the both of you. You were likely only going to be gone for one maybe two nights, so the few blankets he carried with him should be plenty to keep you comfortable. He checked over his weapons to see if any were close to breaking. It was then he realised you hadn’t brought a weapon.

“Y/n, you don’t have a weapon with you, do you?” Link asked as you walked across the market to the Gerudo town entrance.

“No, I’ve only ever trained with swords from the Castle Guard. I wasn’t sure if they’d let me take one, so I didn’t bother.” You said, absentmindedly, eyeing a stall selling glittering crystals nearby.

Link summoned a soldier’s broadsword of his own from his pouch, using the Sheikah slate. He held out the hilt to you and you took it. It was just like on of the ones you had trained with.

“Now, if we get into trouble, you can be safe.” Link smiled slightly before pulling a scabbard from his ouch too. You giggled with delight as he hooked the belt around your waist and over your shoulder, allowing you to store the sword on your back, pummel level with the top of your head.

Link checked over the belts again before stepping back, nodding and beckoning you to follow him from the Town. “You can keep it, if you like. Your own sword.”

You smiled brightly and hurried to catch up with Link, a light skip in your step.

 

Once through the ornate archway at the entrance to Gerudo Town, Link took a turn North towards the huge cliff faced edges of the Gerudo highlands. Your mood lifted again at the prospect of adventure. You wandered what animals you’d see, what plants you’d be able to forage, you’d get to do climbing and possibly see snow. Link noticed your smile up at the mountains, finding it incredibly endearing and smiling to himself and trudging through the sand.

Link lead you along a rocky pathway, leading you through a deep canyon between the tall cliff faces, twisting and turning, heading uphill through the tall passageway. Link was able to quickly change into his voe desert clothing behind a large boulder, finding it a little more comfortable. He also pointed out several plants and animal tracks to you, earning precious smiles and enthusiastic questions. It helped Link to focus on something other than the overpowering anxiety, building as you entered possibly dangerous territory. He made sure you kept focused too, telling you to keep an eye on your surroundings for anything unusual. You found this difficult – everything was unusual for you.

Eventually you reached an area of the canyon with a red, rocky ceiling. Gaps in which let streams of light into the passage, while sand trickled down the walls into little peaks. Vines and mushrooms grew on the walls of the passage, taking advantage of the cooler, shaded area of the mountains. Their colours were dark and vibrant, suggesting a nearby water source. Link explained to you that melting snow from the mountains trickled down through the sand in the passageway, which is what most likely eroded the pathway they walked through.

As you travelled further, you noticed flags hanging from the ceiling. They were red and held a familiar design, which you presumed was the Yiga clan symbol. They were faded and torn, some hanging crooked from the ceiling. Small archways with rotted wooden doors and sills suggested old openings into rooms carved into the rock, more Yiga symbols painted onto the wood.

Link stopped to look around as the path began to narrow. You followed his gaze to find the walls coated in a thin layer of ash, as if the main room ahead had been set alight. Link’s experience was telling him to draw his weapon, but he didn’t want to worry you. He took a step forward and knelt down, dragging his fingers through the black dust.

He examined it closely and rubbed his fingers together. The fine powder seemed to have recently settled, which brought Link to stand cautiously, pulling his sword from its scabbard. You copied him and assumed a well-practised stance.

“This was recent, they might still be close by. Move slowly and keep your eyes open.” His voice was quiet, serious and a tone you hadn’t heard him use before. It reminded you of the voice some of the more experienced soldiers back home used. It was a voice void of emotion and in full control of the situation. It scared you a little to think Link was suddenly able to switch into that kind of mindset.

 Link lead you through an archway into a large, circular room. It smelt like smouldering fire and looked dreadful. Curtains that would have hidden several alcoves and a stair case hung burnt and blackened, a pile of rubble that looked to be some kind of alter in the centre. Cracks and burn marks lined the base of the walls while a thin layer of soot and ash lay across the floor. Link took a left, leading you up the stair case, his feet light, head swivelling to check on you every few seconds.

You turned a few times, the corridor just as burnt and blackened as the first room, a strong smell of burning wood met your nose. Link stopped in front of you once again and raised a hand against a wall of rubble.

“This place was huge… there should be more…” He said quietly.

“It was collapsed?” You asked. Link shrugged, looking bewildered. He turned again and lead you back to the first room.

This was strange. Link was sure whoever attacked the Divine Beast Vah Naboris must have come here soon after, the damage having been done fairly recently. But if they were part of a newly reformed Yiga clan, why destroy everything they built for? To start anew? It made no sense. Link had still encountered followers of the Yiga leader even years after defeating him, they were too stubborn to do something like this.

Link squinted as you moved back through the dark corridor. A strange red light flickered at the end of it, casting long, jumping shadows along the walls. Link shot you an intense, angry look. You got the message straight away and nodded: stay quiet, this is danger.

He pressed forward slowly, looking around every curve of the tunnel until you reached the top of the stairs. The light lit the entire room, which was now otherwise in pitch darkness. Someone had blocked the door.

You both cautiously stepped down into the circular room, both checking over your shoulders and, in any nook or cranny of the room for possible ambush. Links nerves were twice as tense knowing you were with him, but he had to trust your abilities – he respected you.

The light was emanating from a circular orb in the centre of the room, a deep, swirling red coloured smoke rising from it. As soon as you laid eyes on it, you felt dread fill you. Link noticed you wide eyed stare and horrified face. Something about this object gave off a dark power, one you were able to sense.

You spoke in a quiet, but urgent voice. “Don’t go near that. Something is wrong. I feel sick… It’s…”

An echoing voice from the far side of the room interrupted you.

“Clever, aren’t they?”


	26. A gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOHHHH SHIIIIITTTTTT STUFF IS HAPPENINGGG  
> Sorry for the lack of chapters lately, doing my absolute best to keep it regular but right now i think it's more likely to be weekends you get new chapters.  
> Also, I just want to express how thankful I am for all of my regular readers and commenters, and even to those who have been sending me fan art on tumblr! You are wonderfully creative and kind people, and I never expected such endless love for my writing as this. Thank you to all of you <3  
> Enjoy the chapter!

Fear prickled along your spine and tightened in your chest. You both turned quickly towards the voice. Your head was under an intense pressure and you wobbled as you swung around. You focused on the figure casting a tall, thin character against the burnt walls.

The speaker towered over both you and Link, with long, thin limbs. They wore a tight fit set of clothing of a dark red lined in black and white edging, with a hood and white mask. This clothing looked almost exactly like that of the Yiga, but the mask was blank, lacking the clan’s symbol of the upside-down eye. Tears and frays were scattered over their body, dirt and ash smeared over the surface. They stood still and observed you from behind the tower of dark smoke.

Link and you raised your weapons slowly. Link’s mind was a torrent of questions and outcomes to this situation. He had no idea who this was, what the orb was, or why the clan hideout had been destroyed. Fear an uncertainty churned in his gut.

Your mind still blurry, you took a quick glance towards the red, glowing orb.

“Beautiful, is it not?” The sinister character stepped towards the centre of the room. Link and you flinched and trained your weapons on the figure, as they moved to drag a finger over the surface of the orb. You noticed the touch sent ripples over its form, a trail of deep red smoke trailing after their hand as they withdrew.

“Who are you?” Link snapped. You both had your eyes trained on the person, though they seemed to be ignoring him.

“This, dearest, is the most impressive thing this world has held within it.” They were directly facing you, voice deep and smooth, drawing you in. You held your stance next to Link, not wanting to put him in danger by unnecessarily attacking, but desperate to find answers from this mysterious character.

“I know what you are capable of, you and I are not so different.” The tall, looming figure stepped towards you, slowly. You noticed a pair of short blades on a belt around their waist. Link saw them too and took a step back, his spare arm reaching out to push you with him.

You wobbled again. The smoke was slowly filling the room, making you dizzy. It seemed to have a stronger effect on you than Link. The orb still pulsed with some kind of sickening energy, and now they moved closer, you felt the same intense vibrations from the stranger. You fell down on one knee as Link continued to move you from danger.

Link glanced backwards for a moment, to see you dazed and disorientated. The figure took this opportunity to bring their face down towards Link’s, startling him why he turned back, face to face with a blank mask.

“You are a nuisance.” Their arms, though thin, were easily able to push Link aside. Taking him by surprise, Link lost his balance and fell against the wall, hitting his head. His vision blurred.

The stranger darted towards you, long limbs moving like a large spider. A hand reached down to lift your chin. They contact with your skin felt like fire, like a painful itch. You grabbed their wrist, but their grip tightened. You looked up into the blank mask, eyes watering from the smoke.

“Shame your goddess did nothing to prepare you.” The stranger spoke with a sinister tone. Your mind was still clouded. You were questioning every word, but your thoughts quickly disappeared into clouds of deep red. Behind them, Link stood and raised his sword to strike their back. “You may have had a chance, otherwise…”

Links sword fell, the stranger disappeared out of harms way, the room went dark, a searing pain slashed from your jaw to your chest, and the orb exploded into a red ball of fire.

You fell unconscious.

It was dark for a while. You felt numb and absent bodied. You floated in an empty space, watching a light rise over a faint horizon, the black sky slowly fading through a series of blues. As the light rose, it formed a circular star, casting light over an endless field. As the star moved higher and higher, colourful flowers grew from the ground, filling your vision with pinks, yellows, greens, blues, purples, all arranged in delicate arrangements.

You looked down to see yourself in your own body. Your bare feet wriggled against soft grass. You wore the same clothing you arrived in, a y/f/c shirt and white harem pants. You looked up again to find a familiar mirror.

“Do not fret, young one. You are doing wonderfully.” A soft, gentle voice spoke from nowhere. You remained calm, admiring your pointed ears in the mirror. “You are safe, but the threat is greater in your world than we feared.”

Memories of the stranger flashed before your eyes. Your mind remained clear and calm however, a likely effect of this place. It allowed you to think clearly about the previous events. Link had accidentally cut you with the tip of his sword, and the orb had exploded with a dark, powerful energy. The roof and walls had collapsed upon you both, but not before Link had pulled you beneath him.

Your appearance in the mirror changed. A long, deep cut from the edge of your jaw, shallowing at your throat ran all the way down to the base of your shoulder. Dirt and ash covered your clothing, tears and rips in some places. A few additional cuts and bruises appeared alongside a patch of blood soaking your shirt.

“You will have to be stronger than ever.” The voice said, regret and guilt filled the words. A gentle breeze blew through your messed hair, the flowers around you waving gently.

“Keep the Hero close. Seek help from the Descendent. Your powers will become stronger with time and practice.” The voice seemed insistent, as if giving important instructions. “The strange weapon used against you was able to collect our essence. It houses it in an unnatural state – it is very dangerous, to you especially.”

You felt a strong sense of purpose and determination wash over you, but it felt forced, as if something was pushing you forward. You nodded.

“I understand.” You spoke to no one, in a quiet voice.

“On your way then, young one.”

 

You took a deep, desperate breath in, before immediately coughing it back up. You couldn’t see anything. You lay on your back, left shoulder was pressed against the ground by an enormous weight, and you right leg was twisted beneath something. Your body ached and was drained of energy.

Your mind still maintained some influence from the place you were before. You couldn’t remember it, but you knew you had been somewhere while asleep. You shook the thought away. Right now, you had to get free and make sure Link was okay. You took a deep breath and pulled your shoulder up hard.

You kept pushing against the weight, determined to shift it. You groaned in effort, as your eyes watered from the pain. You stopped and tried to catch your breath, shaking in frustration. You tried again and again to move something, using your free arm to push and shove the object off you.

You shrieked in anger, panic levels rising as you began to feel more and more trapped. It was then you remembered the night of the fire – you could do this, you knew you could.

You took a deep breath, clearing your head, and pushed the heavy weight away from you. You focused on channelling energy from yourself into the rocky surface, but in your already drained state, you felt little moving through you. It wasn’t the same sensation as that night, anyhow.

After a few desperate attempts, a dull blue light emanated from your hand, a thin film of which covered the surface of the boulder. Relief washed over you and you laughed in triumph. Although not weightless, you were able to push the boulder as if it were made of straw, freeing your other arm from beneath it. The movement dislodged several other rocks, and you covered your head as a few loose stones fell on top of you.

A slim stream of daylight made its way down to you, as the collapsed ceiling parted. You couldn’t be too far from the surface. You used your power once again to move a few rocks to free your leg and crouched down to begin searching for Link.

Your mind was racing as your eyes darted through the shadows, the little light the new opening gave wasn’t nearly enough to see further into the rubble with, so you reached out to feel around. You went around and around in circles, checking a rechecking every nook and cranny, unsuccessful. This was taking too long. Visions of Link bleeding out or suffocating or having been crushed flashed through your mind.

You shook your head and sat back down, feeling defeated. You sighed and closed your eyes, picturing the Hylian in the moments before the orb had burst. There was the look of horror on his face when he realised what he had done, having missed his target and cut you instead. Your hand reached up to touch the stinging wound. He would hate himself for that later.

You then remember his first reaction to the explosion – to cover you using himself. Were you really that important to him? That he would risk his life to protect yours? You weren’t sure you valued yourself above him, but your heart warmed at the thought, nonetheless. You just had to find him and keep him safe.

You had to find him.

You felt a quick stream of energy fly through you to settle in your head, and it was as if your eyelids had become see through. You could see a faint outline of the walls and rock around you, and even through them. Layers of shapes and forms appeared before you. You opened your eyes in shock, met only with the dim cove you sat within.

You closed your eyes again, curious. You focused once again on finding Link, imagining his face, and those sparkling blue eyes you had fallen so hard for.

Once again, the rocks and ground layers were mapped out before your eyes. You turned your head slowly, catching site of a bright blue shape. It was the form a lizard, burrowing through the rocks. You turned further to find a larger shape, bright blue in your see-through vision.

“Link!” You recognised the outline, and darted forward with your hands out, desperately moving rubble. He was close, only a few inches below the fallen caves.

It was a strange sensation – moving around with your eyes closed as if you could still see the same. But as Links form grew closer, your concentration faltered, and you opened your eyes. Your hand grabbed a fist full of cloth, pulling Link from beneath a long, flat rock. You pulled him gently into the light.

He too was coated in scratches and bruises but seemed mostly unscathed. You let out a breath you didn’t realise you had held and crouched by his side to lift him against your chest. Once again, you used your powers, lifting him easily, climbing through the opening that lead to daylight.


	27. Collapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YAAAAAYYYYYY another chapter!!! It's my day off today and I was in a creative mood! really happy with this. A little bit of fluff, little bit of sad, little bit of Riju.  
> Enjoy!

You made it to the shrine outside Gerudo town before a soldier spotted you. You had Link, still unconscious, in your arms and pressed to your chest. Night had fallen about half way through the climb and you had both began shivering in the cold. The soldier ran over and gestured to take Link from you.

“What happened?” She snapped, picking up the small Hylian with ease, scowling when she realised Link was a voe.

Your voice was hoarse, and you croaked out a response, breathless and exhausted. “We were attacked by the Yiga. Well, they aren’t the Yiga. This was something else… they had a bomb, red glowing… I’ve never read about anything like it before I don’t know…What to do…” Tears fell from your eyes as your body gave into the tiredness.

“Up, now. We need to get you both to a healer.” She said sternly. “We will allow the voe entry, as it’s an emergency. But he cannot stay long.” She looked down at you with an intense glare. “Riju needs to talk to you as soon as possible. There was an attack on the palace.” She looked down at Link again.

Your eyes opened wide in shock and you nodded, silently following as she strode through the archway. The moment you entered the Town you noticed a huge plume of smoke rising from the roof of the Palace.

You stopped dead and took in the scene. Soldiers were all over the town square, tending to the wounded, standing guard over lost families, putting up tents, manning guardians with huge containers of water moving towards to fires. Frightened gerudo sat huddled in groups, and you recognised the innkeeper Romah herding a few children into her inn, which seemed to have escaped any structural damage.

You fell to your knees as tears fell down your cheeks. Link was hurt, your body ached all over, you were wounded, bleeding, watching the pride of the Gerudo town going up in smoke. Your gut began to twist, and you thought you were going to be sick. The feeling felt familiar, and memories of the Castle Town fire returned to you.

“Your friend is being seen to in that tent over there.” A hand on your shoulder caught your attention, the soldier had returned, and was pointing to a large blue tent to the right. “You should have your wounds tended to, as well.” You nodded and the soldier ran off back towards the entrance to patrol.

You stood slowly on shaking legs and made your way through crowds of people towards the tent. A few were staring wildly in your direction. You remembered the gash that ran down your torso and looking down at yourself became horrified at the amount of blood soaked into your clothing. You made it to the tent and pulled it open. The tent held a small desk covered in books, medicines and tools, and about 6 beds holding the seriously injured, a few additional lay on the ground wrapped in blankets.

You recognised Link laying on a blanket and large cushion next to the table, with an older gerudo knelt beside him. She looked up and beckoned you over. You silently obeyed and knelt next to her.

“Will he be alright?” You ask, your voice sounding broken and unfamiliar.

She gently held you chin and tilted your head to get a better look at the cut. “Yes, dear he’s fine, just hit his head a little hard. You however look like could use a little ointment.” She reached up for a small ceramic bowl with a lid and a cloth from the table. “Though you should have had some when you got it.”

“I didn’t have any, and I had to get Link back safe.” You said, flinching as the healer ran the cloth over your chin, cleaning the blood from your skin.

“Dear this wound has had several days to heal, I can tell. You need to tend to your wounds sooner in future.” She said. You lifted your hand up to your face an felt the wound. It still stung to touch, but your hand came away clean. It had already closed over. “You risk an infection otherwise.”

You glance down in confusion at your hands, which were now clear of scratches a bruise. You thought back to the night of the fire. Then your small burns had indeed healed quickly, but nothing like this. Perhaps this was part of your Sheikah abilities, and that these powers grew with you.

The longer you had existed in this world, the more powers you discovered, and the stronger they became. You didn’t understand why, but you felt like you needed to hone these skills in preparation for something important.

You flinched again as the healer began to gently apply some pale green ointment from the bowl to your wound. You stayed quiet, your mind reeling with questions: the stranger, the new abilities, Links well being, the gerudo, the divine beast. Everything was going terribly.

The healer placed a hand on your shoulder. “I’ve been informed to have someone take you to Riju as soon as he wakes. You may wait here, until then.” You continued to stare at the floor blankly but nodded slowly.

 

It wasn’t long before Link began to stir. You turned, relieved to see him slowly sitting up, and rubbing his face. He looked around blankly, focusing on your face. You gave him a small smile.

Something in his mind clicked and his eyes grew wide, tracing over the long cut on your neck. He hastily sat up, jaw clenched, and teeth bared, tears in corners of his eyes. He grabbed your shoulders and took a closer look at the injury. You remained silent as he processed what happened.

“Oh Hylia… Y/N, I am… goddesses.” He felt sick, he had done this to you. A thick, ugly red line down your chin and throat. It would definitely scar, and he would always be reminded of how he had hurt you. If only he had been more careful. He could have prevented this, if had moved more quickly, avoided the stranger and protect you properly. That was his job, and he had once again let you down.

“Link,” You said softly. He looked up at you, white faced. “This was _not your fault._ ”

You held his gaze, seeing the guilt in his gentle blue eyes, placing your hands on his cheeks. Link took a deep breath and held your words in his mind. You had brought him out of a few dark moments, and he had faith in you. This was all he needed to hear right now. It didn’t stop the sickness in his gut, and you knew it wouldn’t. But if it could give him some kind of acceptance to the fact that this was an accident.

Links mind was battling with itself. He looked into your wonderful y/e/c eyes as you held his face. He wanted desperately to believe you, to have a clear mind and to accept what happened. But his brain was dragging him back from clarity, screaming every mistake and failure in his ears. He closed his eyes and focused on your words.

“You are safe, so am I, and it was not your fault.” You repeated, watching him work through his own mind.

Link let out a shaky breath. He nodded and opened his eyes. “Thank you, y/n.” He had managed to take control of his mind, by slowly denying each and every doubt with your words, which granted him a defence against them. The voices still whispered in the back of his mind, but he was steady, for now.

“Okay, there’s a lot that’s happened. I brought you back to Gerudo and they let you in to see the healer… but.” You tried to explain but Link had already noticed the other gerudo in the tent, covered in a range of injuries. He looked back at you.

“Oh Link, they must have… have come here while we were… while we were trapped in the caves.” You sniffled slightly as tears threatened to spill from your eyes. “They bombed the palace, Riju is safe but so many people were caught up in it all. It’s like… Its like Castle Town all over again.”

Link felt his stomach lurch, but a quick moment of concentration had it under control. He took another deep breath and lay his forehead against yours. “It’s alright, we need to find Riju and tell her what we know, and we should send warning around Hyrule.” He stood and held an arm out to pull you to your feet. “Rito Village is likely their next target, and Vah Medoh. We will need to get there before them.”

You nodded and followed Link from the tent. His confident words and reasonable plan put your mind at ease. You can fix this, it would just take time.

The Town square was quiet, the sun was rising sending long shadows throughout the settlement. People huddled under re-purposed merchant tents and the smoke had slowed to a trickle in the distance. The morning light revealed a blackened palace archway, and a partial cave in of the roof. Soldiers were still clustered here and there, on high alert. You recognised the gerudo who had helped you and Link inside, and when she caught site of you, she darted towards you.

“Good, your okay. This way, now.” She seemed agitated, although she had a perfectly good excuse after the chaos of last night. You followed silently. Along the way, Link distracted himself by checking through his supplies and weapons. He had lost one sword in the cave in, but everything else was accounted for. You could sense his discomfort.

The soldier led you down a deserted side street, to a small homely looking building on the edge of town. The fire hadn’t managed to spread to this area, though it was still empty. The gerudo soldier led you inside, through several doorways and passed a number of tired looking soldiers, to Riju, sat in a large armchair in tiny room.

“Goddesses, you two look to be in a similar state to my palace.” There was anger and exasperation in Riju’s voice. “This is ridiculous. I have to see my people!” She spat these words at the taller soldier stood to her left. This gerudo was taller and broader than many of the others. Link recognised her as Buliara, the captain.

“You know I cannot allow that, my lady. Not until the Town has been fully searched.” She replied. Voice steady and insistent. She nodded at the soldier who had brought you here, dismissing her as she left.

“Ugh, I want all of you attending to the citizens as soon as you are done searching. We now have homeless and injured and fewer soldiers on patrol than I’d like.” Riju was restless, clearly unhappy with the guard’s actions. She sighed. “Please, Link, Y/N, sit down. I need to know everything you do.”

Riju gestured to two smaller chairs opposite her. You both took a seat and Link began to recount the events of the last day. Riju listened intently, not once interrupting.

When Link became silent, Riju nodded. She then had a messenger brought in. “We need to send word straight to Rito Village, Goron City and the Zora’s Domain. The other divine beasts are in danger, this is a power we do not yet understand. They must defend their people and increase patrols, check their people for intruders, strangers. Understand?” The messenger nodded and left.

“Link, it is likely the Rito will be visited next. You must go to them and tell them to prepare. You know these attackers better than anyone here.” Link nodded. “Take a few hours rest, first. Th both of you. This is important but we can’t have you passing out on the way. You both look a mess.”

Riju summoned her maid and have them fetch fresh clothes for you. She then led you up a set of stairs to a small bedroom, containing two single beds. “Rest, I will have someone wake you in a few hours. Now excuse me while I go and clean up this mess.”

You grabbed Riju’s arm before she could walk through the door. She looked surprise until you said. “Thank you, Riju. I’m sorry your people have suffered. Maybe if we had stayed… We could have helped prevent-,”

“Absolutely not. No one could have predicted or prevented this. The gerudo do not hold you responsible, and neither do I. Link has done nothing but good for us, and if his trust is yours then you have mine as well.” You nodded and she left silently.

The door closed behind her and you were left in an uncomfortable silence. You opened your mouth to speak but was cut off when Link pulled you into a tight hug. Your heart raced as his warmth encompassed you, bringing you a sense of calm. You wrapped your arms around him, sighing into the embrace.

 

After peeling your sweaty, bloodied clothes from your body and changing into the clean clothes you returned to the main room to find Link had changed also. He wore just a plain cotton shirt and trousers, something more comfortable than the dirty, town shirt he had on before.

Link eyed the new gerudo style outfit you had been given. It was still off the shoulder, but the top was longer and flowed down to join with the hem of the trousers. You looked hurt, and tired, and the bright scratch down your throat had Links stomach twisting every time he saw your face. He crawled into his bed and let his body’s exhaustion take over. He thought it inevitable he would wake from a nightmare, but he was too tired to care right now.

You flopped down onto the soft mattress, feeling safe once again. You closed your eyes, trying desperately to fall to sleep. You knew rest would help you feel better, you couldn’t think straight when this tired. You fell into an uneasy sleep, flickering in and out of consciousness for several hours.

Each time you woke is was to the echo of the stranger’s words;

_“You and I are not so different.”_


	28. Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UMMM FLUFFF and character development, love me some of that.  
> Hope you guys enjoy, not much happens here but i love me a few fluffy chapters here and there.  
> Much love <3

You wandered slowly, a few steps behind Link, exhausted and sore from the last few days of madness. A new power, unnatural healing, another attack, a new enemy and an unimaginable weapon. You couldn’t keep your mind from thinking it all over, and had turned in on yourself, remaining silent as you walked through the narrow pass through the mountains. You were headed to the stable to collect your horses, and head out to Rito Village.

Riju had lent you a pair of sand seals, and a few soldiers with their own steads to guide you back. Before you left, she had a healer take one last look over the pair of you, while briefing you on any extra information that she’d acquired while you slept. There was a sighting of an attacker near the palace, of similar description to the attacker in Castle town. This time, someone witnessed them lighting the fire. They had placed a tiny, glowing red orb into a crack in the wall of a building next to the palace. The resulting fire quickly spread through the central district. The stranger had managed to leave before being seen again.

Link had also been silent, concentrating on every detail of his plan to help the Rito prepare. It was the only thing channelling his brain power away from a panic attack. He had wanted nothing more than to comfort you since leaving, but the shining red scar along your throat had guilt building in his gut whenever he faced you. He had never, ever wanted to hurt you. Yet his useless body and mind had led to that.

You brought a hand up to the scratch on your neck. It had already stopped stinging so badly. You wandered if it would even scar, it was healing so fast. You hoped it wouldn’t, you knew Link was struggling to deal with it, and he didn’t need a constant reminder.

You were both quiet still, as Link collected your horses from the stable, while you found a place to change into warmer clothing. Link handed you the reins to Layra, and silently mounting his own horse, Fera. Everything felt awkward, even as you tried to catch his gaze and cast a smile at him. He didn’t notice or did but was so lost in his own mind that it wouldn’t register. You sighed, climbing up onto Layra’s saddle and following Link’s lead.

Your mind still focused on worrying for Link, you had a slightly dulled enthusiasm for this particular adventure. You followed back along the winding canyon, watching the colourful lizards that lived there skitter around the piles of rocks. You crossed the wobbling bridge, passing by a tall waterfall. Past this, you recognised the road leading from Hyrule field, but Link had Fera turn left instead, which you did too, with a little regret. You wished you could talk to Zelda right now.

Link knew the way like it was instinct, which allowed him to focus on keeping his mind calm and steady. It had been exhausting, but repeating your voice inside his head, “ _This wasn’t your fault,”_ over and over, had just about kept his thoughts from over taking him. He felt frustrated and sick, having had little rest thanks to another series of nightmares.

Link honestly didn’t know what he’d be doing without you. On the night you arrived he had just about accepted that his life may not ever get better. That his mind was lost in itself and would never heal. You had given him a new purpose, new meaning, a new friend, not to mention all the times you had helped him win battles with his own controlling thoughts, without even questioning their origin. And all he had done to thank you was getting you hurt.

_This wasn’t your fault._

No, it wasn’t. Link knew that, all he was trying to do was help you. That’s all he’s tried to do since meeting you. Even more so upon realising you had very comfortably found a place in his heart, repairing it all the while. It was the Yiga clan’s fault, or whatever they were. Not Link’s, and he certainly shouldn’t be ignoring you. You would forgive him though, you always did. Link let out an audible sigh. You were just too good for him.

But how could he possibly let you go?

“Link? Um… It’s getting dark, should we, uh rest?” You knew getting to Rito village was important, but a few hours wouldn’t hurt. Link would be useless for the Rito if he got sick from lack of sleep.

“Oh, sure.” Link hadn’t realised how late it must have gotten. The sun hung low in the sky, the horizon already fading into deep orange. “I think there’s a little cave in this wood…” He turned Fera again, towards a small woodland area and the base of the east side of the Gerudo highlands.

After a few minutes of searching Link found what he was looking for. It wasn’t so much a cave, more like an angled, rocky hole in the ground. It was perfect – difficult to see from a distance and the angle of the ceiling allowed you to light a fire within, without smoking yourself out. Link hitched his horse to a nearby tree.

You stopped Layra next to him and he looked up. Echoes of the face he wore on the first night you met sat in his face – lines under his eyes which were a little blank, not the mischievous sparkling blue that made your heart flutter. “Link…”

He looked to the floor, your scar had his stomach in twists. He hitched Layra to the same tree, before raising his arms to help you down from the saddle. You hesitated, watching his gaze before leaning into him, carefully dismounting your horse. Your feet touched the soft grass but Link still had his hands gently resting on the sides of your arms, seemingly frozen in place. You look up at his eyes, trying to read him. He looked sad but was smiling at the same time.

Link admits he was being a little self-indulgent here. You were so close to him, chest brushing up against his, his arms holding you gently, tenderly. He could feel your heated breath on his skin, soothing and intoxicating at the same time. He stared into your y/e/c eyes for just a few moments.

Goddesses, if only the world wasn’t falling apart, perhaps he would have just given in and spilled everything right there and then. But he couldn’t handle losing you through rejection while trying to deal with everything else that was happening right now. It would ruin him. He’d rather have lived on in denial, keeping it all locked away.

Your heart was doing somersaults as the Hylian held you close. You didn’t really know what to do – your mind pulling a blank, you just stood and enjoyed having him near. You tried to avoid the guilt that came with it, knowing that you could never have such an effect on him as he did you. Your face was slowly heating up, heart jumping as Link absent minded ran small circles over your arm with his thumb.

Link withdrew, though this time did not snap away as if embarrassed, but slowly stepped away before heading towards the trees.

“I’ll get us a fire going, yeah?” He said over his shoulder, not really expecting an answer.

 

Once Link returned with an armful of fire wood and had stared a small blaze in the cave entrance, you both huddled in to the small opening to warm up. The night air had begun to chill you, and the dry, now warming cave was rather inviting. Link pulled a few blankets out his bag and put them to one side, before handing you a bread roll and some goat’s cheese. You thanked him and you both ate in silence, taking it in turned to dip chunks of bread into the soft cheese.

You still felt strange. Everything was so overwhelming, and your emotions felt like a wave, rolling in but never reaching its crest. It just got bigger and bigger, the threat of it coming crashing into shore increasing with every second. Strange, you hadn’t felt like this after the fire at castle Town, but you don’t think it had been quite so bad as last night. Not only that, but Link had almost gotten lost in the rubble after the explosion. He could have been seriously injured or killed.

Maybe if you hadn’t come into this world, the evil wouldn’t have either. Could this was your fault? You knew you weren’t normal, and like the stranger had said, you were more alike than you knew. What if you were just one of them? Waiting to switch into something evil and destructive? The townsfolk back home may have been right – you were dangerous.

You didn’t notice a tear roll over your cheek as you stared, defeated into the fire. Link took your food from you, set it down, and held you head gently, turning it to face his. His thumb traced the scar on your chin for a split second, but he ignored the feeling it gave him. He looked concerned, almost angry, had you done something wrong?

“Y/n… talk to me, what’s going on?” He was quiet, you had never cried before. Something was obviously wrong. He had been sending too much time in his own head to realise your bright, glorious happiness and optimism had dulled into a day long silence.

You looked down at your lap. “I feel as if, this all might be my fault.”

Link scoffed. “And how in the name of the goddesses might that be?”

“Everything was fine until I arrived. You had been living in peace, then I show up moments before all these new Yiga members, with crazy new technologies and abilities.” You sniffled and looked up at Link sheepishly. “What if I was supposed to be one of them?”

Link felt like something switched on in his mind, some protective instinct. He put an arm around your shoulder, pulling you close so your head lay on his shoulder, while you quietly sobbed into his shirt. He took his spare hand and laced his fingers between yours, the skin of his hand soft and warm. The other lay against the small of your back, helping you feel safe and secure.

“Y/n, you can’t possibly be one of them. That stranger was just trying to scare you, lying. You are a threat to them.” He spoke with such confidence it was hard to doubt him. You look up at him. “You are powerful, more so than anything I’ve ever seen. You are so wonderful and kind, honest and braver than any soldier ever could be.” He smiled down at you, pressing his forehead to yours. “And Hylia knows how much you have helped me.”

Your heart ached, feeling so overwhelmed with Link’s kind words that you couldn’t help but let out a big, goofy but watery smile. “Thank you, Link.” He smiled softly back at you.

“Now please, get some sleep.” He turned away, leaving you feeling a little alone after so much contact, and wrapped one of his blanket’s around you. He did the same to himself with his other and lent back against the cave wall. You copied, getting as comfortable as you could on the rocky surface. You closed your eyes, silently promising yourself never to let Link out of your sight.

Link was doing exactly the same, glancing over your peaceful face as you drifted off to sleep. It turns out you needed him as much as he needed you. Whatever may happen in the future, he would do anything to keep you safe and happy, and he would do anything to keep himself at your side.


	29. A day of rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DUDES I'm so sorry i haven't updated in a while, exams are starting for me soon and i have been SO busy. Gonna try and have Friday and maybe Saturday evenings for writing, will give me a reason to chill out during all this revision D:  
> Thank you for always being so lovely, have a fluffy, warm chapter for your troubles.  
> Much Love <3

Early the next morning Link and you were approaching the rito stable, having woken as the sun rose slowly over the dim horizon. You both breathed a sigh of relief when you first saw the divine beast Vah Medoh, perched on its tall rock. Still glowing blue, with no sign of the attackers, you both decided to head straight to Kaneli, the leader of the Rito people. Link explained he was rather old, but no less wise, but that was why he sent Teba in his place to the Hyrule Castle meeting.

You stared in wonder up at the divine beast, marvelling in its magnificent size, design, glowing blue pattern. You felt inexplicably drawn to it, as your strength and energy grew as you neared it. You couldn’t explain why, you thought maybe it had something to do with your powers.

Link had definitely warmed up to you, which at least put a small part of your mind to rest. You quickly signed your horses into the stable and you followed Link with long strides towards the towering rock. The guard greeted Link, who nodded in response as he stepped onto the first of the many winding rope bridges towards the village.

Your interest was captured by the design of the settlement. You passed shops, an inn, homes and perches built into and around the towering rocky structure. Rito wandered through their days around you as you hurried past, not taking nearly enough time to appreciate their incredible feathers, décor, architecture and culture. You hoped you’d have time one day to return.

You reached the very height of the settlement, and Link entered a small hut, inside sat a large, elderly rito, which you assumed was their leader; Kaneli.

“Link! Wonderful to see you. We just received Riju’s message early this morning.” His face grew empty and he glanced to the floor. “I can’t imagine what her people are dealing with.”

Link swallowed and glanced towards you, stood beside him. He turned back to Kaneli. “We need to prevent the same from happening here.” Keneli nodded with his words, listening carefully. “The attacker managed to infiltrate both the Gerudo town and Castle town during the night, masked, baring a mark similar to the Yiga clan.”

Kaneli’s face grew serious but continued to listen. Link continued to explain the two separate attacks in as much detail as he could. You noticed he left out the part where he injured you, and where he became injured himself. Was he ashamed? You knew he felt bad about the pink scar along your throat, but why would he wouldn’t mention him becoming unconscious.

You remained quiet until Link had finished, and listened intently as Kaneli summoned various Rito soldiers, to increase patrols, night and day. He also made sure several soldiers would be seated in watch positions atop the rock that held their home. The last few soldiers left the small hut, to search the present people in the town, looking for unusual visitors.

Satisfied, Kaneli thanked you both excessively, and had someone show you to a small hut, a little way down the bridges for you to stay in for the night. Inside, two hammocks hung from the ceiling, while shelves holding blankets hung on the wall opposite the door. You thanked the Rito who lead you here, before she left. You silently moved to sit in your hammock.

Link silently sat opposite you and clasped his hands together in his lap, staring at them.

“So what now?” You asked, quietly.

Link sighed. “We should rest properly before heading back to Hyrule. If it were just me I could head out now-“

“I can go now, if we need to.” You said, a feeling of urgency growing in your gut.

“No, y/n, its better to spend a day resting. We have already beaten the Yiga here, and even if they went straight to another target, we can afford a day in travel.” Link’s voice was clear and concise, like he was reading a script. The tactical readout reflected his time as a soldier like nothing else.

“Another target? They wouldn’t go for the castl- Zelda?!” Your eyes grew wide and you stood.

Link stood to put his hands on your shoulders. “Y/n, Zelda is fine. The soldiers there know the attacker as well as we do, she is safe.” He swallowed as he realised your short distance from him.

Your nerves calmed with Link standing close to you, his warmth forming a blanket around you. You smiled. “Okay, we rest then.” You looked at your hands. Link wasn’t moving his hands and you were okay with that, so you kept still, stealing glances into his sky-blue eyes. “But that means you too.”

Link turned away. “I should really help out with the patrols, at least keep guard around the town, look for anything suspi-“

“But you said we need rest!” You giggled as he turned to pout in your direction. He knew you were right, but a rising voice in the back of his mind told him that doing nothing made him even more useless. “At least show me around?”

You felt the heat in your cheeks rise as he turned to face you with a smirk. You grinned, feeling a little shy and looked to the floor, biting your lip.

“Alright, but I’m multitasking. I’m not letting them attack these people if I can help it.” You nodded, stepping towards the door. Link held an arm for you to take, smiling softly as you left the hut.

 

The next couple of hours you spent exploring. Just near the hut you found a group of Rito children singing in choir, just beside a row of shops hanging banners at their doors. You spent a lot of time in the clothing store, looking at the soft, warm clothing they had in for tourists. The owner took a fierce liking to you, offering to weave feathers and ribbons into your hair while Link chatted to a few patrons. You thanked them when you left, but not before Link bought you a baggy, fluffy wool-lined coat as a surprise. You scalded him for spending more money on you when you had none of your own, but he ignored you once again.

You put on the coat, a little big for you, but the possibly the softest thing you’d ever worn. Your stubbornness broke and you thanked Link quietly, and he smirked at you as you wandered to the next shop.

You looked at jewellery, wooden carvings, watched more groups singing and playing drums, soldiers flying in formation, all while Link tried desperately to ask around, trying to find anyone who’d seen anything unusual.

He had just finished having another useless conversation with a shop owner, stepping out into the sun to find you watching the rito children singing once again. You sat on a low wooden wall, chin propped up on your hands, elbows balanced on your knees. You watched the rito with such adoration, such intrigue. It reminded Link of when he first came here. He found himself staring at your calm, joyful face.

You turned to catch him staring, blushing and lowering your hands. As you did, your scar became visible. Link couldn’t help but stare at it, but when he noticed you start to frown, clearly worried for his conscious, he pulled his gaze back to yours, smiling. You silently understood; he was slowly accepting that it wasn’t his fault.

Link took you down the bridges to another cluster of shops, one of which had an open grill out front, advertising various fish dishes available. You inhaled the wonderful new smells, and Link began to chat to the store holders. You expressed an interest in cooking, and the rito woman manning the grill offered to share some recipes. You beamed, watching her prepare a salmon with butter, herbs, spices, presenting you both with a dish called salmon meuniere.

Link paid her with a tip, before sitting on a nearby fence to dig in.

Your eyes rolled back in your head at the flavours, vastly different from the foods from Castle town and Gerudo town. Link chuckled at your reaction, enjoying his own meal. You both ate in comfortable silence.

 

The sky grew dark and you managed to convince Link to turn in. He had done a brilliant job gathering information, but he knew he needed rest. He silently thanked him for giving him an excuse to shut away the nagging voice in the back of his mind. He had done his job, the rito soldiers would do theirs.

Link closed the door to your hut behind him, and you flopped into your hammock.

“Today was amazing!” You smiled to the ceiling, and Link sat on his own hammock, and began to remove his own coat and bag. “The singers, the food- The flying!” You had loved every minute of it. Though now you lay quietly at the ceiling, you remembered why you had come here in the first place. You frowned, guilt creeping like vines through your gut.

“Y/n?” Link saw your change of expression and spoke in a concerned tone.

You turned to face him. “Maybe we should have helped… I didn’t pay attention… what if they are here, in the village already?”

“Y/n, you wanted me to relax, which meant there was nothing wrong with you doing the same.” He looked to his hands in his lap. “I had to tell myself the same thing. Our job was to warn the Rito, to rest, then to move on to Hyrule castle.” He sent a small smile your way. “You deserved a day off, we both did.”

You nodded. You hadn’t thought about the events of Gerudo town for hours. Now, as flashes of fire and burnt faces danced over your vision, you still felt a sense of guilt. You could have stayed to help them. You sat up and rubbed your face with your hands.

“Y/n, we are doing our best.” Link was now stood beside you and placed a hesitant hand on your shoulder. “Without rest, we risk getting lost, or ambushed and not getting to the castle before the Yiga. Without coming here, we risk another attack.” Link held your gaze, listening to his own words as you did. It put both your minds at rest. This was not an excuse, but a valid reason.

You leant your forehead against Link’s own, closing your eyes. You ignored the heat rising in your cheeks, as Link’s thumb rubbed circles in you shoulder. Link closed his own eyes and enjoyed the intimate moment.

Link sighed, he wanted this to grow, to become something more, to be able to pull you close without feeling guilty, ashamed or embarrassed by himself. He would never feel ready to let you in, and that made him unworthy of your affections. He moved away gently, turning to climb into his hammock.

“Goodnight, y/n.”

“Goodnight Link.”


	30. Intense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOHHHH ITS A TRIPLE WHAMMY BOIS GET READY.  
> WE GOT SMUT  
> WE GOT FLUFF  
> WE GOT PLOT  
> WE GOT ACTION  
> Please enjoy i had a lot of fun with this chapter.  
> Much Love <3

You woke gently from your sleep, shifting to get more comfortable your hammock swayed slightly. The motion was soothing, and you grinned to yourself, enjoying the small moment of fun. You pushed the wall of the hut to keep the momentum of the swing going.

Link mumbled in his sleep and you turned to watch him for a moment. Perhaps him stirring was what had woken you up? Not that it bothered you. You shuffled once again to get comfortable, lying on your side. Link continued to mumble, facing away from you.

“Huhh…hmmmm,” Links mumblings grew louder, and you raised your head slightly. The last time Link had spoken in his sleep, he had woken from a nightmare, sweating and shaking. You decided to stay awake for a while to keep an eye on him.

“Ahhhhgh, huhhh uhh…” You watched carefully as his breathing quickened. You didn’t want to wake him in case you frightened him further, so remained watchful, as his shoulders twitched slightly. You crossed your legs, sitting up and crossing your arms around yourself. Your gut twisted, thinking of the horrible things that could possibly be flying through Link’s mind.

 

Link, however, was not having a nightmare. Not in any sense of the word. He was back in the Gerudo town Inn, watching you pleasure yourself from the bedroom doorway.  You beckoned him to come towards you, and this time, instead of slamming the door and hiding away, he obeyed.

Your voice was soft in his ears, echoes of forbidden memories whispering to him as he climbed over your shaking, heated body.

“ _Link… Please…”_

Link swore under his breath, reaching to cup a hand around your cheek, your y/e/c shining back at him, dazed and distant.

 

“Y/n….”

Your head snapped up to attention, had Link just spoken your name in his sleep? Your nerves where creeping up on you and you stood, finally deciding you should wake Link. You laid a hand on his shoulder and gently shook it.

“Link?”

“Y/n, I … Huuhhhhh …” Still asleep, Link mumbled in response. You shook again and sighed as his eyes fluttered open.

“Y/n?” It took a moment, but Link came to realise his predicament. You were leaning over him, worry in your eyes, but you weren’t quite in the same situation as before. His body felt hot and frustrated, a tightness between his legs became apparent when he glanced over himself. Your gaze followed.

“Oh.” You said quietly, forcing your eyes back up to Link’s face. “Sorry, you were having a nightmare… I got worried so I woke you.” Your face was bright red, as was Link’s, who was clutching his blanket over himself.

“Yeah, yeah, nightmare.” Link swallowed, embarrassment and guilt strangling his voice. “Though, I’m okay, don’t worry. It wasn’t that bad.” No, he thought, no that bad at all. He blushed harder, facing his lap.

You stood and turned slightly, you cleared your throat, attempting to wipe endless inappropriate thoughts; pulling Link in to a deep kiss, letting your hands roam, stretching over skin you had so desperately wanted to touch on so many occasions. You rubbed your eyes in your hands.

“Y-You uh, you don’t need to feel, um, embarrassed. You can’t help it, I know. I read about it…” You trailed off, feeling strange talking about such things out loud. Your voice didn’t fit.

Link looked up at you. “Wait… you, read about it?” You looked back up, shock and embarrassment plastered over your face. Link instantly regretted asking.

“Oh! No, not in a weird way… I-I-I just, um, research… Zelda gave me a book… and, um…” You waved your hands around and stared at the floor, glancing back up at Link occasionally. Now he had calmed down, head cleared and body far more comfortable, he was smirking up at you. Your face was twisted and flustered, it was absolutely adorable, he just had to indulge a little.

“Zelda gave you a book, huh?” Link questioned. His cheeks were still pink, heart racing, unimaginably aware of how uncomfortable you were, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease you. Especially after you had so rudely woken him from such a dream.

Your mouth opened and shut again. You knew what he was up to, and although it annoyed you, it made you happy to see him comfortable again. You hadn’t seen him so playful since before the fire in Castle Town. You decided to play along.

“Maybe she did. If she hadn’t, you’d have a lot of awkward explaining to do right now.” You giggled, trying to turn the situation around, while keeping it away from awkward. You didn’t want Link to feel weird around you.

Link grimaced. “You’re not wrong.” He rubbed his face. “I am so sorry… I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…”

“It doesn’t bother me Link.” You climbed back into your hammock and turned to face him. “It was my fault, I was worried about you… you started talking in your sleep.”

“What did I say?” Link giggled again. Your breath caught in your throat for a moment.

“You said my name.”

 

A loud thumping at the door broke the silence between you, you recognised the voice that followed.

“Up, Hylians. We have a sighting, we need you to come with us.” Teba hissed through the wooden door and you snapped to life. You almost fell from your hammock to throw on your boots and coat, having slept in your clothes. Link followed suit.

You opened the door to see the familiar tall, white plumage belonging to the proud stature of Teba. You respected him, though he was the reason the others had questioned your intentions when you first arrived. He had just wanted to protect his people. And now, seeing him again, you had grown, and learned to understand people. Teba was not cruel or discriminatory, he was just looking out for those he loved. He nodded in greeting.

"Link, good to see you. Y/n, Tabali told me about you. I apologise that our first meeting was under such circumstances, and that our second is as such. But we have work to do. Follow me. Quietly."

 

Rito village was quiet and empty, Rito soldiers perched here and there, but you met no one else on your path. Teba lead you to a landing stage near your hut. He stopped you before reaching the edge. His voice low, he leant in to whisper to you both.

“They are scaling the cliff below us, do not arouse suspicion.” Link nodded and stepped forward slowly. You did the same, glancing down.

The landing stage overlooked the vast drop surrounding Rito village, but thanks to its overhang, the side of the lower sections of the rocky outcropping was also visible. Your stomach tightened before you even laid eyes on them, two Hylian sized individuals, dressed in deep red, masked, and each carrying large, round packages on their back. As you stared, you found you thoughts twisting and spiralling, clouding your mind.

You snapped back into focus when Link turned back to Teba.

“That’s them. What’s the plan?” Link spoke in a low voice, though there was no chance the Yiga could hear you from all the way down there. You moved to stand next to Link.

“They have… Link they have those, orbs.” You felt your voice wobble, anxiety building up. You pulled your coat more tightly around you.

“The explosives?” Link asked. You nodded, looking to Teba.

“I take it this is what they used to attack Vah Naboris?” he raised an eyebrow.

“We believe so. They are powerful, we witnessed them first hand, only a small one but enough to tear down a cave on top of us.” Link’s voice was clear and level, his soldier voice.

Teba nodded. “The plan is this; we have already started evacuating the village, those able to are flying low out from the other side in small groups. Others are being moved to lower levels using the bridges. The last thing we want is Vah Medoh falling upon us.” He beckoned for you to follow him and he led you higher up the village.

“It’s likely they will bomb the beast, and any weak points in it’s perch. We have ambush teams in place as we speak, one at the top of their climb, one on Medoh’s perch and another lower down. You are both trained soldiers,” He looks to you. “Correct?”

You nodded. You could handle yourself, though had had little practice so far.

“You should join the first ambush team, intercept the invaders at the top of their climb. You know how they act, in case they realise what’s going on before we have chance.” You reach another landing stage. “This is it, find a place to hide, see there?” Teba points to a platform on a lower level visible from where you were. “I will be there, I will take flight when they reach the top. If I think they see anything, I will sit on the edge. At which point, a second team will move to position. Understand?”

Link and you nod, Teba leaves you and you both squat behind a nearby fence. You notice two or three Rito soldiers hidden nearby. One peaking through the window of a hut next to you, one with their back against they wall, another squatting behind a tree.

You looked to Link, a little worried, but determined. His eyes were wide, focused but frantic. You raised your hand slowly as you inhaled, lowering it on exhale. He got the message and breathed along with you, glancing over your shoulder to Teba, for the signal.

The next few minutes were some of the tensest of your short existence. You kept Link calm, though after a while he seemed to slip into a stable state of mind – though it was robotic, and blank. You supposed this was his way of blocking out his fear. Soldiers who had seen battle frightened you, purely because of that ability. You turned slowly in your spot to watch Teba.

He stood calm, watching over the landscape across the canyon below. Your heart was in your throat, beating faster every time the Rito glanced down the cliff face. You looked upwards, the platform you were guarding was only a short climb from the divine beast. It was enormous, majestic, glowing with light and channelling an energy towards you, like a stream of cool, sparkling air. You mind was buzzing, becoming more intense as you stared longer.

But that feeling began to spoil, slowly. You furrowed your brows together and shifted uncomfortably. Your head became tense, aching under some unseen pressure. You brought your palm to your forehead and Link cast you a worried glance. You had shown similar reactions to the bomb back in the Yiga hideout.

Links eyes shot open wide, whipping his head up to see Teba, limp, and falling from the platform towards the water below, a string of feathers following after him.


	31. Invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM M  
> IM SO EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS TO READ THIS ONE OML   
> PLOT PLOT ANGSSSSTTTTTTTTTT  
> My excitement is conveyed through CA PS LOC K   
> apologies but i am so proud of this one. been waiting a while to get to this point.  
> EN J O Y  
> much love <3

You caught sight of Link’s horrified expression, snapping your head around to see Teba disappear out of view. You caught Link’s eyes with your own manic, fearful eyes, before an intense pressure erupted in your mind. You wrapped your hands around the back of your skull, screeching as it grew stronger. Your ears ringing, you barely heard Link calling for the others to move, before his body wrapped around yours. The resistance in your mind kept climbing, as if coming from one direction. You held a hand up as if to shield yourself.

You held your eyes closed as the pressure lifted suddenly, replaced by a physical force of an explosion. When you opened your eyes, a blue bubble was resting at your hand, large enough to hold a small horse, glowing softly. Your eyes caught sight of a deep red cloud, frozen in time within the force field. You looked over your shoulder to Link, who stood open mouthed at your side.

You heard Rito soldiers shouting higher up in the village. Link turned towards the shouting before catching your gaze again. You nodded, signalling to him that you were okay, and he sped off along the tall scaffolding of bridges and staircases.

You turned your attention to the glowing blue shield once again. The substance that held the red explosion was similar to that that coated something large you wanted to lift. This must be another of your abilities. You thanked the Goddesses you only ever discovered them when you needed to.

You noticed an unconscious Rito soldier being dragged back by another, next to the blue orb. He must have been caught in the initial explosion. The soldier moving him away shot worried glances between you and the bubble. Your anxiety grew as you realised you were keeping him alive, and a flicker in the light of the shield grabbed your attention once again. You focused hard.

You felt the potential energy of the explosion within the bubble – a tingling heat beneath your hand. You pulled in in through your hand, drawing the energy into yourself. The pressure in your mind built again rapidly, but this time it was good; warm, satisfying – empowering.

_A little more…. Young one…_

You closed your eyes and absorbed every last drop, the feeling of being energised so addictive you couldn’t hold back. You felt your mind reeling in sparkling bliss. You opened your eyes, seeing only in the dynamic, trans-dimensional vision you had used to find Link after the explosion in the Yiga hideout. Your mind moved faster than ever before, your focus dwindling, as if something else was within your consciousness.

_Excellent, now listen closely…_

The Rito tending to his fallen soldier companion watched, in a mixture of awe and horror, as the unfamiliar Hylian drew in the bubble of blue light. It merged with their skin like a brilliant blue liquid, the red cloud within turning to a clean blue along with it.

You stood above them, eyes lit with the same energy that lit the towers and divine beasts. Hands in front of you, turned upwards, stance lopsided and uncertain.

The Rito flinched when a loud shout rang out from further up the village tower. The bright eyed Hylian’s head snapped in the direction the noise came from, before darting along the path, heading upwards. Their movement was incredibly fast, shadows of their form following behind in a blur. The Soldier watched as it took a moment to gain control of itself, before moving out of sight.

 

Link felt his lungs starting to sting, as he frantically rushed to reach the second team of soldiers. Shouts and screams erupted from just around the corner, as you turned to find two soldiers on the ground and anther holding a hooded figure to the floor.

“Up there. Go.” The soldier jerked his head further up the staircase. Link snapped his eyes away from the blood smeared feathers of the wounded, and continued on, breath running short.

A disfigured blur moved ahead of him with unnatural speed, pushing large plants and parts of a hut out of its way. Each surface it touched gained a soft blue and shimmering coating, it looked familiar. Link paused only for a split second but continued running, now nearing the base of the divine beast.

The blur’s movement was erratic, random, uncontrolled, though it was heading towards the shouts of the other Rito soldiers. Link turned the final corner to find the figure shivering and shaking in a stationary blur, before a frightening scene. Link stopped and took it in.

Three Rito soldiers stood around a hooded young Hylian, wearing deep red robes and holding the open backpack he had been covering out in front of him. The white mask he wore was cracked, a fearful eye watching the blur in front of them. A handful of Rito soldiers, scattered amongst plants, branches and huts, had bows trained on the stranger.

A Rito nearby aimed their bow on the blur. Link felt compelled to prevent harm from coming to the entity, though couldn’t understand why. He caught the Rito’s worried gaze and slowly shook his head.

The silent stand off went on for another few seconds.

“What the fuck is it? You trying to psyche me out or something? Huh!?” The stranger shouted, the closest soldiers flinching.

“Son, stop this, whatever you’ve been told this is not going to make you a hero,” One of the soldiers took a step towards him.

The stranger reached into his bag and pulled out a red orb. Link’s eyes grew wide and the blurred shape began to twitch and vibrate, a blue glow growing from with the reem of shadows following its movement.

“DOWN, NOW!”

Link dropped from the edge of the platform, landing a level below. The explosion started, but as he ducked and covered his head, no force came from its origin. Link waited a second, before hesitantly climbing back up. The blue, glowing Hylian-shaped glowing blur was holding an arm out, holding a bubble around the explosion, and the partially destroyed body of the stranger.

“Y/n?” Link walked slowly towards the scene, gaping Rito soldiers lay frozen, still crouching, braced for impact.

The blue bubble was pulled into their hand, the mutilated body and deep red fire of the bomb liquidising. The resulting blue flowing rapidly into your body. You turned to Link and held out your hand. A feminine, distorted voice came from your lips.

“Your sword, Champion.”

Link, frozen in fear and confusion, hesitantly reached over his shoulder for his sword. He turned it in his hand to pass the handle to you.

“Do not attempt to use this, until we are finished with it.”

You held out in front of you, and finally the blurred, rapid succession of shadows around you stopped, the sword glowing in your hands.

 

Your mind began to slow, relaxing. You felt the highly pressurised bright energy pouring from you into the object in your hands. Your limbs that you had not been able to still, calmed as your muscles became less tense. Your head felt empty, as if some great presence had left you. You blinked rapidly as your vision returned to normal.

Link stood before you, his bewildered and empty face staring at you. You noticed his sword in your hands, glowing brightly. You had no idea what had just happened.

“How…” You looked around, noticing a large group of soldiers behind you, staring blankly. You weren’t were you were a second ago. Your mind was a little fuzzy, and you remembered absorbing some strong energy, then transferring it to the sword almost immediately. But otherwise, it was like nothing happened. “How did I get up here…”

You looked again at the weapon in your hands, holding it out to Link. He cautiously took the handle, which held none of the lit energy pulsing through the metal.

“Y/n…” Link tried to explain something but couldn’t bring his thoughts together. His mind was bursting with questions, fears, worries, concerns, anxiety, memories of blood, shouts, screams. He swallowed and too a shaky breath in. You stepped forward, to place a hand on his chest, help him breath as you normally did.

But this time, Link flinched away, taking a step back. You felt your heart shatter as the bewilderment in his eyes became concern. You pulled your arm back, folding your arms close to your chest, disgusted. What had you done?

“Let’s get this mess cleaned.” A soldier stepped passed you, eyeing you closely before speaking to Link. “Teba was found safe, but we have wounded one captured. I know you’ll want to see him, but we should all clear our heads first.” The Rito soldier sighed, before she laid a hand gently on your shoulder, though you noticed her hesitance. “Whatever that was, it saved many of us.” She looked up to the Divine beast, perched about 20 feet above you. “And our Vah Medoh.”

She withdrew and lead the other Rito away. Link stared at you another moment, before looking at his sword, sheathing it, and turning away.

You felt broken, lost and empty. A tear trailed down your cheek as you watched the blonde Hylian follow after the others.


	32. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MMMMMM PLOT BABES  
> also reader makes an interesting promise ;)  
> MUCH LOVE <3

You hadn’t felt like joining the others. The sun had started to rise, and your mind was numb after the confusion events of the night. You were drawn to the comforting energy within Vah Medoh and so climbed to its feet. Perching at the edge of their rocky pedestal, you watched as light spilled over the horizon, bathing Hyrule in a warm orange glow.

Your chest was tight and uncomfortable and the cold wind at this height did little to combat the feeling. You sighed, not really feeling anything strong in particular, thinking over your short life so far. You thought back to your first moments – Link’s deep, blue eyes like the deepest pools of glimmering, clear water.

He had been so lost back then. Comparing his appearance and attitude from back then to the Link you know now really put his troubles into perspective. Yet despite that, he had always paid close attention to you. You couldn’t say you minded, for some reason that lost, tired Hylian boy made you feel like you belonged.

And there was of course Zelda. You weren’t all surprised when you found out she was supposedly a reincarnation of one of the goddesses. Her heart was so good and pure, yet she always knew how to put you into a fit of giggles. She had taught you a lot about Hyrule and had done everything in her power to make you feel welcome in those first days.

You remembered the guards you had befriended, the captain who had taught you to fight, to shoot, to defend. But nothing had prepared you for the incredible powers you had come to acquire, or the strange evil in the world you now faced. Zelda was right to send you with Link – you were able to protect him and many more today.

Your thoughts stilled around your travelling partner once more, heart beating a little faster. You closed your eyes, leaning your forehead against your knees which you had drawn against your chest. A harsh breeze flew through your hair and the tips of your pointed ears began to sting in the cold.

“Link…”

That Hylian had mixed himself up in your head from day one. It was getting more and more difficult to ignore the way your cheeks flushed and heart raced every time he drew you close, during those more intimate moments. Once you had finally learned that it was because you were in love with him, it just got worse and worse.

So much so that your thoughts had often run wild. You remember pinning Link to the ground during a training session, wearing next to nothing in the Gerudo desert, every time he was happy and smiling, last night when you had woken him from a bad dream.

You shook the thoughts away and sighed. Nothing good would come from this. Link had clearly taken a dislike to you now and those thoughts were nothing more than that – thoughts. But your heart still ached to have him close, to press your lips against his and tell him he meant more to you than anything else in your life.

You peered up towards the chin of Vah Medoh. You promised yourself that if Link could forgive you, you would find the courage to tell him the truth.

 

“He’s in here.” The female Rito soldier, who’s name Link had learnt was Freya, lead you to a small hut built on an outcropping of rock, outside of the main village. Freya held up her arm to stop Link before he could open the door. Link frowned, anger and confusion swirling in his head, burning with questions.

“Listen, he is young, Link. He’s been pretty quiet up to now and looks half scared to death.” Freya sighed and looked over Link’s head to the Village, wound around the enormous pedestal of rock. “I know that doesn’t mean we can forgive him for what he did but it may not be entirely his fault.” She lowered her arm and moved to the side.

Link nodded in understanding. From what little he had learnt from the strange new Yiga, they probably weren’t above manipulating children. He pushed open the door slowly.

The room had no windows but had plenty of candles lighting the space. The once hooded and masked figure now sat bound to a large wooden chair, head drooping forward. He looked up as Link closed the door behind him. He was indeed young, maybe 15 at a push, yet had large bags under his eyes. A crop of black hair stood at odd ends atop his head, and his deep red clothing was tattered, and blood stained, though seemingly it was not his own.

He watched Link with fearful eyes until he crouched in front of the boy, flinching as he drew nearer.

“What’s your name?” Link was quiet, and soft. He felt hatred for this person, he wouldn’t deny it. But he knew, really, the hatred was for his intended actions, which may not have been the boy’s design.

The boy stared at Link. He opened his mouth and a few shaky words came out. “We don’t have names…” Link kept a straight face though felt more questions building up in the back of his head.

“Who sent you?” He questioned, maintaining a calm tone.

“They don’t have names either.” His gaze wavered, wandering into the corner of the room.

“How many of them?”

“Three, though I never saw any of them.”

“Where they responsible for the fire in Castle Town and Gerudo Town?”

The boy swallowed and shifted slightly. He looked up to the ceiling and breathed out a shaky, “Yes.”

Link grew impatient, he already knew they were responsible but just had to confirm it. “Where they responsible for the attack on Vah Naboris?”

They boy looked close to tears. “Yes.”

Link swallowed and drew a breath to calm himself. He waited until the boy had done the same.

“Where were you born?”

“I… I don’t know.” The boy’s face was distant.

“You remember your family?”

“I don’t think I….” The boys face screwed up, as if trying to focus on something he couldn’t quite grasp.

“Where did you get the explosives?”

“One of them told me where to find them.”

“You said you never met them?”

“I didn’t.”

Link shuffled, disturbed. He had heard plenty of voices from absent people in his time, but they were always from people who had some kind of connection to him.

“Where were the devices found?”

“In a cave, half way down the drop, west of here…. I think…”

“The drop?”

“The drop – the ravine that keeps us stuck here.”

Link raised an eyebrow. “Keeps us here?”

The boy shifted again. He took in another deep breath. “We thought about running. We thought about it many times, but we thought if we left Hyrule they couldn’t reach us. There’s no way a normal human can…”

“The three leaders, you mean?” The boy nodded to Link’s words.

“What exactly was your mission?”

“We were given instructions as things happened. We found the devices, travelled to Rito village, climb to the beast. They told us to use one as a distraction when you spotted us, then I was to create a path for the other one.” He looked to the floor. “I hurt so many of them…”

“And the other?”

Another shaky breath. “To get as close to the beast as possible.”

“And use the device?”

“I don’t know how they work, they detonate themselves.”

Link frowned and rubbed his temples. “And now? What are your instructions now?” A tone of anger flashed through his words.

A tear fell over the boy’s cheek. “To tell you everything I know.”

Links eyebrows drew together. “Why?”

“So, you know… So, you know you can’t stop them.” The boy began to sob quietly.

Link stood and ran a hand through his hair. He turned back to the boy. “Why would you do this?”

“I don’t know, I just did…” The boy’s expression changed suddenly, from sadness to utter fear.

“No… No, NO! You can’t leave me!? I DID WHAT YOU WANTED! YOU CAN’T!”

“What’s happeni-” Link tried to speak over the boy’s screeching.

The boy tried desperately to remove his ties. “NO, NO, NO, PLEASE NO!”

The door burst open and several Rito soldiers with spears pointed to the boy, who continued to writhe and wriggle as his words became incomprehensible. He began foaming at the mouth and his chair tipped over, his eyes rolling back in his head.

Someone called for a healer but there was no repeating this. The boy’s twitching subsided, and his body grew still. Link stared in horror.

“Did you..?” a soldier asked. Without looking away from the young boy, Link shook his head.

“I never touched him….” He turned away, walking from the room. “I need to talk to Teba.”


	33. Consolidation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UMMMMMMM  
> sorry this chapter is a little late but I PROMISE you will love this... FL U F F  
> Much love <3

A soldier pulled back a curtain to reveal Teba, chest bandaged heavily, with his wife beside him. Link stepped in quietly, and Teba looked up from the shallow, but comfortable looking mattress in the centre of the floor. Suki, Teba’s wife, stood and approached Link, taking his hand.

“How is he?” Link felt his breath stutter, seeing a friend of many years injured brought back harsh memories. He focused hard on his surroundings and senses, he needed to stay grounded long enough to talk to Teba properly. His heart was hammering in his chest, if only you had come along.

“Could be worse, but he’s home and that’s all he needs right now.” She smiled down at you. “I’ll leave you to chat, but try not to stress him too much,”

Link nodded and Suki stepped outside their small home. Link knelt beside Teba and he raised an arm, placing it on Link’s shoulder.

“You did well. The others told me about y/n…” He shuffled to try and sit up, grunting in discomfort. “They stored the energy in your sword correct?”

Link nodded silently, glancing at the weapon poking over his shoulder.

Teba continued. “I’m not quite sure what to do about it all. Y/n could be a danger to all of us, but seeing as they saved our home, I’m reluctant to restrain them.”

Links eyes grew wide. “Restrain them? They aren’t-,“ Link looked down to the floor. “They’re not dangerous.” Yet, he had acted as if you were a monster. This realisation had Link’s mind twist, pressure rising on his thoughts and his gut flipped over. He stared straight at a splinter in the wooden floor, trying to reel his emotions away from the edge.

Teba sighed. “No… no they are not.” Teba placed a wing onto Link’s shoulder again, and when he raised his head to meet Teba’s eyes, the Rito saw panic and exhaustion in his eyes.

“What happened?”

Link sighed and sat back. “I had a chance to talk to the prisoner… But…” Link swallowed hard, reliving the moment that the poor Hylian boy, with no name, lost all light in his eyes. Link told Teba every detail, who sat in stunned silence. You both agreed that the Rito would continue with increased patrols, and now they knew what to look for, word would be spread throughout Hyrule. Teba had messengers sent to the four corners of Hyrule, and had the symbol found on the back of the strange invades copied onto flyers.

“The fact that they want us to know their capabilities so soon is most worrying.” Teba turned to Link after dismissing the messengers, to find him quietly staring into the floor once again. He was lost in thought, pondering his actions after your show of new powers. He shouldn’t have left you again. Link rubbed his eyes in frustration.

“Go and find them, Link.” Link looked up to Teba. “No matter the state of your friendship, Hyrule needs them as an ally. Do not let them get lost.” Teba held Link’s gaze for a few moments, unwavering, his seriousness piercing into Link. Link nodded, and practically ran out the door, following the bridges up to Vah Medoh.

His lungs burned with the freezing morning air, struggling against the wind blowing strong at the top of the tall settlement. The sun had long since risen, and Link wandered if you would even still be where he had left you. His mind was racing, eyes stinging, panic rising as he scrambled up the last few stairs to the divine beast’s perch.

His heart caught in his throat when he found you curled between two of the claws of Vah Medoh, sleeping soundlessly. Link crouched next to you, gaining some shelter from the wind and settled next to you. He watched you face for a while, calm and still. It helped him relax even just seeing you, the pressure in his chest subsided slowly as he focused on mimicking the rhythm of your breathing.

You stirred slightly and Link froze, not sure what he would say if you woke to find him here after rejecting you earlier. He relaxed when you stilled again, trying to grasp at ideas for an apology.

 

“What was all that?”

You sat once again in the vast, open field of colourful flowers. You woke a few moments earlier to a delicate and familiar voice calling out your name, a flock of exotic birds taking flight as you sat up.

_There is not much time, young one. Your time in this place is always limited._

Your mind was calm, as it always was in this place, but was still full of questions. One in particular stood out to you – why had Link reacted in such a way, were you really a monster?

_Many in your world will show fear to what the do no understand. Give them time._

“Where did the strangers come from?”

_When the Hero of Time vanquished the Calamity, it returned to the world beyond – were your world’s creators reside. There must always be good and evil in this universe, neither can be destroyed, but both can become unbalanced._

“The strangers are the Calamity?”

_Not quite. The Calamity was a descendant of all darkness – the Demise. When the Calamity returned from this and many other timelines, the demise became whole again. We did our best to prevent this, but our powers were split._

_The three of us had our powers scattered to many places, but a large portion of our beings now belong to you._

“I am… the three…” Your mind was foggy, but there was something about the three ancient divine beings that rang a bell. You couldn’t quite place it. “Am I even real?”

_Real are things your world cannot comprehend._

You sighed, twirling a flower you had plucked from the ground beside you. This was getting more and more confusing, and you could never remember these conversations when you woke as it was.

“Why can’t I remember this place?”

_A being comprised of fragments of another world, another existence, would struggle to adapt in such a short lifetime. Sometimes, hidden memories allow us to see more clearly._

A tall circular mirror appeared in front of you and you stood, knowing you had to leave soon. “May I ask one more thing?”

_You may, young one._

“Where do I take the sword?”

_Take it to Hylia. She is wise and has already an understanding of our connection to our world far greater than most others._

You took a step towards the mirror.

_Be warned, young one, the Demise has no knowledge of you, be sure to remain hidden until you are ready._

The light of the open, sun-lit field faded, as you stepped into the mirror.

 

Link had laced his arms around your waist, holding you gently in his sleep. You woke slowly, finding yourself leaning against his chest. Your chest warmed and cheeks flushed with joy, so he had forgiven you.

“Link?” You turned in his arms, sitting side by side you now faced the beautiful Hylian. His eyelashes fluttered open to reveal those shining blue eyes, which you could get lost in so easily. Your heart jumped in your chest when his eyes flitted down over you form – so close to his own.

Link remained still. His pulse was quickening, though he couldn’t bare to let you go. Holding you like this had his mind clearer than it had every been. He felt whole, safe, calm – why had he waited so long to let you come close?

“Y/n, I must have fallen asleep when I found you…” He looked down to his lap, avoiding your eyes. “I’m, I’m so sorry…”

“Link it’s alr-“

“No, it’s not.” Link caught your eyes, seriousness in his gaze. “I can’t keep leaving you like that, you don’t deserve it.” Link felt as if you deserved the world, not just a broken Hylian soldier with no purpose – but it was exactly that in you which made him feel whole - you gave him purpose.

Link slowly tucked a strand of stray hair behind your ear. You noticed a pink flush cover his cheeks, and your heart beat increased again. Your chest felt like it might burst, heat radiated from every inch of your skin as you felt yourself lean forward.

“You deserve so much more….” Link let out a steady breath, his nerves catching up with his thoughts. It grazed your cheek and made you shiver. You swallowed your nerves, remembering your promise to yourself.

“Link… I need to tell you something, but I’m scared…”

“Y/n,” A hand found your cheek. “You can tell me anything, just like you told me, remember?” You nodded with a small smile. Link smiled sweetly in return. “You also told me I could wait until I was ready… If it’s important, I’ll wait as long as you need me to.”

He lay his forehead against your own, and your worries from earlier all came crashing down around you. Link had your heart in his hands, and he didn’t even know it. You sighed gently into such a warm feeling of comfort. You wandered, is this what it’s like to feel at home?

“Thank you Link.”

“Thank you, y/n.” Link let his arms drape around your sides once again, and he pulled you into a close hug. “I will always stay with you, from now on. No matter what you become.”

You closed your eyes and relaxed into his arms, adoration flooding from your very being. You felt as if you could crush all of the Demise in your own two hands.


	34. A New Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FLOOOOF MORE FLOOOF I LOV FLOOOOF  
> Little bit of a short chapter, but this is bonus material for this week anyways so ENJOY IT.  
> <3

The Demise, what exactly was that? It had come into your thoughts so easily, yet you had never heard of it before. You knew it was the divine evil that resides alongside the Goddesses. But how did you know this?

You had become very still in Link’s arms, who shifted back to look at your face.

“Y/n? what’s wrong?” He moved to catch your distant gaze.

“The sword, we need to take it to Zelda.” You couldn’t understand why, but these new understandings compelled you to do so. Link glanced over his shoulder to find the pummel of the sword in its place, a gentle light emanating from the blade.

“Y/n, we don’t know what you did to it, what if it puts Zelda in danger?” Link kept his hands around you, speaking in a low voice.

“Zelda will know what to do…” Your mind was racing, trying to figure out how you knew this. “Her research, she’s been focused on it since we left, perhaps if we explain…” You voice trailed off as your thoughts over took you.

After a moment of silence Link let out a sigh, smiling softly. “Then we better get some proper rest, we can set off early tomorrow.” Link stood, pulling you up with him. You hadn’t realised you still remained close to him, and as Link took you hand gently and pulled you along the path, your heart fluttered.

Link continued to keep your hand in his. Slowly, you made your way down to the small hut you had been staying in. One the way, Link told you briefly about what happened about the prisoner, making sure to leave out the details. You still were horrified at the tale, wandering how many poor children had been taken and brainwashed into their plans.

Link also told you of his conversation with Teba, about the increased patrols and messengers on their way to warn Hyrule of the increasing threat. You nodded along with his words, agreeing that the only thing they could do for now was stay safe and alert. You also told Link about these strange new memories you had gained.

Link didn’t recognise the name Demise but told you the names of the three ancient goddesses that Hyrule believes to have created the world, before Hylia created Hyrule. Din, goddess of Power, Nayru the goddess of wisdom and Farore the goddess of Courage. You made sure to stamp the names into your memory. Something about them was important to you.

Link pulled his hand from your own, gently, to open the door to your shared hut. You were left feeling a little empty and strange. His hand had felt so casual and comfortable in your own, and now you felt disconnected. You looked up to Link, who was holding the door open for you.

You stepped into the hut and the door closed behind the pair of you. You both began shedding layers, yourself down to your trousers and loose tank top you had worn underneath to keep you warm during the night. Not that you expected to spend the night in a different form, absorbing the very life of another living being into a sword. You stared at the ceiling in silence, guilt building in your chest as you realised that while you may have helped many people today, you took the life of a young, lost child.

You screwed your eyes shut and tried to prevent the terrible thoughts building up. You couldn’t even remember what happened, just creating a glowing field around the first bomb, then waking up after transmitting the energy of a second into Link’s sword. The face he made when you tried to comfort him still engraved in your memory. You knew he had forgiven you, your heart fluttered again remembering how he had held you close, but could the other Rito do so? What would Zelda think? The rest of Hyrule.

You rolled to face away from Link, who had already climbed into his hammock across the room. He was desperately sorting through the events of the day, and now you had left him to his own devices, his mind was flooded with fear and doubt. He was glad to find his exhaustion catching up with him, and he quickly fell into a numb sleep.

You, however, took a little longer to drift off. You had been disturbed by the amount of new information you had gained without being told. Perhaps you had gained more than just new abilities when you body was taken over earlier. Whatever had had its control over you, you knew it was friendly, but perhaps you had managed to communicate without realising.

You sighed, frustration bubbling through your veins. You knew you were different, but if it could make the people you cared for question you for even a moment, you had little interest in it. You closed your eyes, desperately waiting for your mind to clear. Finally, after what seemed like the longest time, you felt yourself fall to sleep.

 

Link stood outside the gates to Castle Town once again, the heat of the fire burning his skin as he ran through the entrance. Familiar faces lay burnt into the ash covered ground around him, he ran through the town, guts wrenching and twisting in panic. He caught site of a shadow darting between the flaming buildings to his right.

He hesitated, eyes darting around for the threat, but then continued running. He had to find you, make sure you were okay. He called out your name into the smoke blackened air. The was only the sounds of roaring fire and creaking buildings in reply.

More faces in the smoke danced before him – His parents, Zelda, the King, friends, close ones, dancing around you as you slowed to wade through the smoke. It had grown thick and filled his lungs as if it were water. Link fell to his knees, coughing violently.

The smoke cleared and you stood, back facing him, just a few meters in front of him. Shadows surrounded you both and when Link stood to fight his way to you the slammed against him, pushing him back to the floor. One in particular grew closer to you, tendrils of smoke wrapping around your form.

 

“No… NO! Not again… get away!” Link mumbled in his sleep and tossed his body back and forth, limbs twitching. You woke suddenly, carefully watching him from across the room. He seemed to still for a moment.

Then he called out your name, the cry filled with gut wrenching fear. You stood quickly and darted over to Link’s hammock, just as he sat upright. He was awake, tears streaming down his cheeks and eyes red, frantically searching around. His eyes fell on you and he lent towards you, losing his balance and falling to the floor, pulling you with him.

“Link, Link listen to me.” You sat up and pulled him upright, holding his face in your hands. “You are safe, I’m here.” Your chest was tight with worry, until Link started to calm, his frantic twitching subsiding.

He lent into your hand, letting a sob from his throat. You pulled him close once again, rubbing his back as Link cried. He was frustrated, tired, exhausted by the endless nightmares despite all the progress he’d made. At least he had you. No matter how bad things got now, so long as he could keep you safe, he could drag himself through all of this.

Your chest relaxed as Link took a deep breath, leaning back in your arms. His cheeks were red, as were his eyes, which were puffy and shining in the dim light.

“You should get some rest.” You whispered, as if you might break the poor boy by talking to loud.

“I can’t… I can’t do it…” Link stared straight into the floor.

You sighed. You refused to press Link for the subject of the dream, but hearing your name cried in such a painful tone, you presumed it had something to do with you. You stood and climbed into Link’s hammock.

Link looked up at you for a moment, confused. “Are you sure? You don’t have to…”

“I want to, Link. I can’t bare to see you like this, and if me being with you helps, then I’ll stay.” You smiled, heart racing, a little apprehensive after your unexpected and bold action. You wanted nothing more than for Link to be happy, and if he was happy with this, then that’s what you would do.

Link nodded lightly and climbed in next to you. As politely as he could, making sure you had plenty of room, he settled into the hammock beside you. Although, the hammock being what it was, you were both pressed together in a rather compromising manner. You felt his body heat pressed up against your back, as he lay on his side behind you.

Link felt every movement you made, hyper aware of every curve of your body against him. He swallowed, hoping this wouldn’t make you uncomfortable. Link himself was perfectly happy with this. Your warmth radiated through his tired muscles; sparks flew over his skin where the pressure of your back was held against him. It was calming and had Link feeling the most secure he’d felt in a while. He fell into an easy sleep in no time at all.

Meanwhile, your mind began to wander. Goddesses, what if he rolled over in his sleep? What if he got morning wood again? What if you did something in your sleep? Anticipation for such situations sent bolts of energy through your abdomen. But at the same time, the whole thing felt incredibly awkward.

You shook your head, trying to focus on the fact you were here for Link’s comfort, nothing else. You silently cursed yourself for being so bold in that moment, because now you’d be awake all night, quietly wishing Link would roll over, pull you close, and whisper sweet nothings into your ear.

You fell to sleep, dreams of just such things carrying you away into the night.


	35. Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MMMMM OMG GUYS I AM SO SORRY   
> I know that this obscenely late, but to make up for that I am going to try and give you an extra chapter.  
> No promises! but I will try.  
> Much love <3

You woke early to an uncontrollable yawn, blinking the sleep from your eyes. You felt a weight on your left arm, and rolling your head to your left you found Link's head resting on it. He was sleeping peacefully. You let a small smile cross your lips - after seeing him after another nightmare last night, your heart fluttered in relief at his calm expression. Your face began to burn as you realized you were in fact comfortably snuggled together in Link's hammock, which was certainly too small for two people. His arms were gently resting either side of your waist, head resting on your shoulder, your legs resting either side of his own.

And that was all your mind needed to start wandering.

Link could so easily pull you onto himself, having you straddling his hips. You could run your hands through his hair, under his shirt, across his chest, push your body down into his own and pleasure him in a way you had wanted to do for so long. Your mouth parted slightly, absent-mindedly running your eyes over the details in Link's tired face. His eyes were puffy, but his face still held such beauty - long pointed ears, soft chin and strong nose, long eyelashes fluttering as he slept. You had thought about kissing him for so long but always became nervous about showing affection, for fear of rejection or creating an awkward scenario. But right now, watching the most important person in your life resting quietly, your chest filled with adoration and your mind began to flood with further scenarios that had you blushing even harder.

You swallowed, a hand reaching out to move a stray strand of hair from Link's face. There was a tightening pressure growing between your legs, burning as intimate words from Link replayed in your head. He was right there in front of you. You knew this was strange, yet you didn't know how to stop.

Link shuffled in his sleep, waking up slowly. You froze before quickly retracting your hand. You sat up, untangling yourself from Link, bringing your knees to your chest in an attempt to hide possible evidence of your arousal. You looked away from Link, blushing brightly.

"Y/n?" You turned to see Link's tired, shining blue eyes. A few streams of sunlight had broken through the gaps around the door, framing your form before him. You had only worn very limited clothing to bed, and y/s/c skin gleamed in the light. Y/h/c hair stood at odd ends, framing your y/e/c eyes darted over him quickly, avoiding eye contact. You were beautiful.

"Good morning." You said quietly. You shifted as Link sat up next to you, shoulder to shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

Link rubbed his eyes as his head throbbed. "My headaches, but otherwise good." He looked up at you. "How about you?"

You took a deep breath. "I feel fine, thank you." You swallowed, willing all your earlier emotion to one side. "But I still worry about the new ability."

Link placed a hand on your shoulder, listening intently.

"Each new power I discover seems stronger than the last one. I don't want to become a weapon..." Your brows furrowed at the word. "I want to help Zelda and you with the guardians."

"And you are helping, y/n." Link scanned your face. "You are a good person, maybe you just need a little practice with the powers."

You nodded, looking down at your hands before clearing your throat. "Will you help me?"

"Of course. I'm sure Zelda will as well. You said so yourself, her research might have proven useful in all of this." Link smiled when you finally made eye contact, face hopeful.

"Thank you." You spent a silent moment, smiling into each other's faces.

Your burning cheeks pulled you from your trance, pulling away from the blue, glassy eyes. You stood from the hammock and started to dress, heart hammering in your chest. Link couldn't help but steal glances as you got ready, marveling in every small detail in your routine.

 

"Thank you again, Hero." Teba handed the reigns of your horses to each of you in turn, as you prepared to leave for Hyrule Castle. He still wore several bandages but had insisted on climbing down to the Village entrance to see you both off.

"Good luck to you, Teba." Link handed the reigns of your steed and you both climbed into place.

"To you too, Hero." Teba then turned to you. "And to you, y/n." You smiled, nodding, confident in yourself.

 

You both set off on the journey back to the Castle. You followed the same path you had on the way in, across the long, thin bridge hung across a deep, sheer cavern. You followed Link, quietly chatting away. The urgency of your mission was obvious, but neither of you could help passing comments whenever the opportunity arose. You passed a field of enormous mushrooms, and Hyrule Castle appeared over the horizon. The sun was already low in the sky and you looked up to the sky, trying to figure out how long left you had.

"If we carry on, we will make it just after nightfall, unless you need to rest?" Link sounded concerned, though his tone had been so obviously different since last night - more affectionate, softer. It was calming and made your smile more than necessary.

"I'm alright, it's important we get there." You tried to hide a smile again, and Link nodded, his gaze lingering a little longer than usual.

 

You rode through the castle gardens as the moon began to glow in the night sky. Your excitement to see Zelda and your Castle friend grew as you got closer, and you had broken into a run the moment an attendant took your horses at the gate. You sped up the steep pathway to the entryway, your mind brimming with anticipation. The doors opened slowly to reveal Zelda waiting patiently behind them.

"Y/N!" Zelda beamed, and you flew towards her when she opened her arms for a hug. You pulled away, holding her at arm's length. Her eyes held dark circles around them, she was pale and seemed to have lost weight.

"Zelda, please tell me you are sleeping well?" You said quietly, expressing concern.

"I'm afraid I haven't been able to afford sleep lately." She looked to the floor. "Never mind that, besides, I doubt your time away has been perfect either. Well, I know it hasn't been perfect. But you can tell me all about that later. Let's get you something to eat. Where is - ah! Link!" Zelda released you to pull Link into a hug, who had just made it to the doorway. It seems he had spotted her exhaustion just as you had, and questioned it when she pulled away.

"Zelda, surely there are others who can take over while you rest?" Link scowled at her state, and you noticed a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"Don't be silly, we need everyone doing their own jobs right now." She waved Link's questions to the side, turning to lead you both from the entrance.

"Let us help you, Zelda." You chimed in. She sighed, stopping for a moment.

"We will talk about this tomorrow, please?" She looked between you both then to the floor. You had never seen her so evasive, and it only heightened your nerves. But you both agreed anyway.

 

After hearing of your return, the kitchen staff took their evening time off cooking you a meal as a welcome home. You were touched by their kindness and ate every last scrap of the meat pie they cooked you. You insisted on tidying the kitchen for them afterward, before Link took your arm, walking you back to your room. Your bags had already been taken to the small room reserved just for your return, a room you had missed more than you had expected.

"Well, goodnight, y/n." Link took your hand, placing his forehead gently against yours. Your face became pink and a broad smile crossed your lips. Link chuckled. "Sleep well." He pulled away gently and you turned into your room.

 

You fell onto your bed, stuffing your uncontrollable smile into your pillow. You giggled to yourself, having spent the day giddily enjoying the attention from Link. You were too happy to overthink each situation right now, instead changed into a soft, palace nightdress and snuggled into bed in the warmth of affection. Neither of you had confessed anything, and you still felt the dull undertone of nervousness in the flirtatious actions between you both, but Goddesses did it feel good to be in love. You had hoped the feelings were mutual for some time, but you had little evidence to suggest it. And now you had suddenly become a lot closer, you wondered if this indeed was said evidence. But it could also be your hopeful heart reading too far into it. Regardless, today had been wonderful, and after the various disasters you had been a part of, you wanted to enjoy these feelings. But that was the thing, you were obviously and utterly smitten for Link, that wasn't new.

But after these developments, did he love you back?

 

Link was utterly and undeniably in love with you.

He groaned into his pillow, head to the side as he thrust his hips into the air. His mind had been running wild after waking up next to you that morning. Initially, things had been so very innocent - he thought of the softness of your skin and lips, your beautiful eyes and imagining holding you in his arms. The moment you had turned into your own room, his mind grew a little darker, flashing over various memories during the trip - the Gerudo Inn playing a starring role. He had practically run back to his room.

His hand worked his cock desperately, your voice echoing in his ears.

" _Link... Link please..."_

In Link's mind, you lay out before him, not an article of clothing on you, legs spread, skin shining beautifully with a sheen of sweat. You were practically on display for him, and he couldn't take his eyes off you.

_"Link..."_

He came hard into his fist, making a mess of the trousers he hadn't even bothered to properly remove. Link was panting heavily as he tried desperately to catch his breath. The urge to do this had come on far too quickly, he hadn't even had a chance to think things over. He couldn't have even tried to control it if he tried. But now, as he came down from such a primal high, guilt overtook him.

You had laid out so many signals the last couple of days, and today you had been softer towards him than usual. But there was a good chance you were just being friendly, and Link had done nothing but take advantage of your trust. His stomach rolled with a sickening tightness at the thought. He rolled over, rubbing his head in shame and confusion. You were still so new, and he could not believe you had fully grasped love and affection yet. What if it was all a misunderstanding, and Link had been pulling you close and touching you like a pervert?

Goddesses, even if he did confess now, how could he know if your affections were genuine, or just you mistaking the connection for nothing more than friendship?

Could you even understand his feelings for you?

Link hurried to his small washroom to clean, before dressing again and leaving to find Zelda. He had to talk to someone, he knew the effects of bottling up feelings, and he knew Zelda would help him. She had already done so much for him, but he couldn't bear the idea of risking you in all of this.

You had become such a huge part of his life, beyond his assignment to protect you, beyond a stranger appearing in the Ancient hall, beyond a strangled cry for help. You were a gift to this world, and Link would never deny that fact.

 


	36. Late Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is that extra chapter I promised!!!!

Link found Zelda in the Ancient Hall, scrawling in one of several notebooks spread over a large desk. Several desks with chairs and benches had been brought in and set up around the place, it was starting to look like a make-shift laboratory with all the equipment as well. Stacks of ancient scrolls and textbooks lay in neat rows around the edge of the room, below diagrams and schematics hung to the walls. Link stepped down the staircase slowly, running over his words in his head, trying to find a way to tell Zelda in the simplest way possible.

Zelda looked up to him as he approached her desk, taking a seat opposite her.

"You should be resting." She didn't look up from her work.

" _You_ should be resting." Link caught her eyes and gave her a stern look. He was reminded of this exact same scenario, but backward, only a few months ago. Zelda had lectured him several times on the importance of sleep, but this work must have meant a great deal to her if she was going to drive herself to this state. Zelda continued to scribble notes as Link spoke. "You will make yourself ill. I know you would always tell me the same thing, but you have a kingdom to run." 

Zelda looked up at Link, albeit with a flicker of anger in her eyes. Link continued.

"People are relying on you to do your best. Trust me, I know what that kind of pressure is like, and you need to put yourself first so you can perform at your best." He looked to the floor. "I let a lot of people down when I couldn't."

Zelda's eyes softened, sighing as she finally put her pen down. "Link, this is my way of protecting my people. This research has already given Robbie the ability to make powerful weapons with sheikahtahl, Purah to interact with the slate and the guardians and what we have done here has given way to some incredible developments. We will be showcasing them to you and y/n tomorrow."

Link crossed his arms across his chest and sat back farther int his chair. "And if you are so sick, you cannot run the research?" Zelda pouted at his words, defeated. She looked down to her desk and sighed again.

"I suppose..." She looked back up at Link, leaning her elbows on the desk, holding her chin in her hands. "Fine, I will finish for the night. What brings you here anyway? Can't sleep?"

"Not really..." Link scratched the back of his head. "I needed to talk to someone about something important.

"Oh, why not with y/n? I know you are both close."

"Not with y/n..." Link felt his cheeks flush just at hearing your name.

Zelda narrowed her eyes at the shifting Hylian boy. "Go on..."

"I-" Link tried to think of the best way to tell her, but settled for blunt honesty. "I have quite... uh, strong feelings... well I-I'm in love with..." Link dared to look up at Zelda, whose eyes were wide with interest.

"I'm in love with y/n."

Zelda practically jumped to her feet, grinning and giggling wildly. "I knew it! I KNEW IT!" She pointed to Link who was now bright red and covering his face desperately with his hands. "Oh Link that's wonderful, why haven't you told them? Or have you told them but they said something? Tell me what they said? Oh tell me everything!"

"Woah, Zelda, okay okay." Link chuckled at Zelda, she always had kept her childish side no matter how serious things had gotten. "I haven't told them... I don't know if they feel the same way and I am scared they wouldn't understand."

"What do you mean?" Zelda tilted her head to one side.

"Well... they haven't been here for too long... what if they still can't understand their feelings? I barely understand my own head. And if that's true, then they are basically a child, and I... I feel guilty for... feeling things for them when they may not even be capable of doing the same..."

Link looked up to find a disgruntled face from Zelda. "That is the stupidest crap I have ever heard. Link y/n is incredibly intelligent and MORE than knowledgable on love and sex."

"Woah, sex?" Link felt his face light up again in embarrassment. "That's not entirely what I meant...but how do you know that anyway?"

"Because I taught her, Link. Do you think I only taught them reading and writing? I helped her figure out a whole lot more. Though the majority of it was of her own curiosity."

"Right, sure." Link rubbed his face, letting the awkward moment settle into silence.

"So now you can tell them."

"How?" Link raised his hands in question. 

"You open your mouth when you next see them and say 'Y/n, I love you-"

"Zelda, what if they don't... Love me?" Link was very still, staring to the floor.

Zelda took the moment to roll her eyes. First of all, you had taken this long to not tell him how you felt, and this boy continued to come up with excuses to not tell you. She was stuck in the middle of the biggest pair of oblivious idiots ever. But you were her favorite idiots and she was determined to get this thing going.

"Link, you will be fine." She placed a hand over his, giving him reassurance. "They deserve someone like you, and you deserve someone like them. Don't you dare tell me you aren't good enough, you know that is nonsense."

Link nodded, letting out a quiet smile. "Thanks, Zelda."

"Come on then, we should both get to bed. Seeing as you insist on me resting." She mockingly rolled her eyes, standing with Link to take his arm. The parted ways and returned to their rooms. 

Link was still apprehensive, though all that was stopping him now was the possibility of rejection. What if you left him afterward? Couldn't bear to look at him? He couldn't lose you, not after all you had done for him. He needed you, and he regretted it.

 

You woke late the next morning, catching up on lost sleep. Your dreams had been uneasy, the last couple of days filled with a lot of dark themes, filling your sleeping mind with doubt on discomfort. You did feel rested, however, and stood to cross the room to your bags to unpack. Though, it was not your luggage.

It was Link's saddle bag.

You shrugged, promising yourself that you would swap back with him later. You dressed slowly, before heading to the kitchen for breakfast. After digging into the eggs and toast served to you, you realized neither Zelda or Link were present. You ate slowly, hoping to catch them before your morning training.

 

Link woke, feeling groggy and dizzy. Getting to sleep wasn't easy when you were battling with your own head, and he should know. Yet he was thankful it wasn't the same topic as it had been just a few months ago. You really had changed him, and he was struggling to deal with that.

He pushed the thoughts aside, deciding that he would simply leave it be for today. There were more important things he needed to do today, and he wanted to join in the soldiers' morning training session, pull himself back into a routine. He dressed quickly and went to his bags, left neatly in the corner of the room, alongside his shield. Zelda had asked for his sword to be moved to the laboratory.

However, he quickly noticed that his saddlebag was missing, and instead, your small backpack sat before him. This shouldn't have been such a problem, but Link stood to stare at it for almost a full minute. He was a curious boy, and he just couldn't help himself.

He crouched, pulling the top open with the very tip of his finger as if trying not to break it. He leaned forward to peer inside.

He found a few clothes, shoved in hastily, including the Gerudo clothing he had bought you during the trip. Link's stomach lurched slightly, remembering how you had looked wearing the clothing. He pushed the bead studded garment aside, to reveal a small pink book.

Link paused, before gently pulling the book from the bag. There was no title marked on the front, and the book itself was in pristine condition. Link stepped back to sit on the edge of his bed and opened the first few pages.

Needless to say, it was not what he was expecting.

_A young person’s guide to the Heart._

Link flicked through the first few pages, seemingly the book was innocent. Did Zelda give you this? So, surely she was right, you did understand love. But then as Link made it further into the book, it became a little more interesting. 

His heart was beating out his chest, images of people touching themselves, each other, holding their lovers in their arms and so many of them had faces looking just like yours. He swallowed, screwing his eyes shut, imagining just what you may have been feeling or doing when looking at these yourself. He looked again, at an image of a young Hylian from above, as if looking at them from the end of their bed, their legs spread, eyes looking up at him - oh so innocently. They had eyes like yours, and it took him straight back to the incident in the Gerudo Town Inn.

Link quickly shut the book, quickly shoving it under his pillow and burying it in bedding. He placed a hand on his forehead, wiping a light sheen of sweat from his brow. Goddesses, he couldn't get you out of his mind, but all he could bring himself to do was shamelessly touch himself to the memory of you moaning his name. Hylia, he wasn't even supposed to hear it.

His head fell into his hands. This was a mess.

He stood, once again pushing his thoughts to one side. This wasn't him avoiding the problem, it was just he had more important work with Zelda right now. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

Until he walked into the large dining room to find you sat across from Zelda, giggling at Goddesses know what, and you turned to greet him with your wonderful smile.

"Good morning," He said shyly, blushing as Zelda shot him a evil grin.

"Right, now your here, I need you both in the lab as soon as possible. We can discuss everything that you know from your trip, and I will do the same." Her face fell a little. "I'm sorry to hear how terribly it went, I was only told the details this morning." She placed a gentle hand on both your shoulders.

"Thank you, for being so brave, and I'm sorry I ever had you put in that situation." She looked at you. "Y/n, I don't want you to feel bad about what happened, none of us knew. No one here cares, for, in the end, you saved lives." She stared hard into your eyes, hoping you understood her words.

You nodded, a blank expression on your face. You still hadn't quite processed what had happened yourself, so far choosing to ignore it. You felt relieved that Zelda wasn't threatened by you.

"Just be warned, many of the Townsfolk are weary of you. Soldiers on patrol have heard threats, though I doubt there is much behind them-"

"What? How dare they." Link spoke up, anger clear in his words. "Y/N has done nothing but protect them and those bastar-"

"Link," Zelda spoke in a very low voice. "We all need to be calm about this, else we do nothing but provoke people." Link pouted and nodded, staring down into his breakfast. You giggled at the face he made. But Zelda was right, punishing the Townsfolk for being scared of something even Zelda hadn't figured out yet was useless.

"I'll meet you there, y/n make sure Link eats his breakfast for me?" Zelda turned to leave the room, leaving the pair of you alone.

 


	37. Tell me everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOOOO trying to keep up with my won schedule right now, sorry for the random uploads  
> Life is one of those wonderful things that likes to mess up all your plans, though not always in a bad way!!  
> please enjoy this chapter <3
> 
> I T S A B I G O N E L A D S
> 
> Also, pls go join me on tumblr: https://stinkypinkdinosaur.tumblr.com/
> 
> MUCH LOVE

You stared, absent-minded, into your empty breakfast plate. Your mind had been elsewhere for a lot of the morning, memories of the Rito, the Gerudo, the bloodied faces, the blacking out, the look Link had given you when you came too. You were well aware that no one had truly been threatened by you, but you mind continued to spurt questions and doubts from within. What if you hurt someone next time? You didn't know how to control it? What if your other powers became uncontrollable? You dared not even try use them since each one first arrived, what if you couldn't use them again?

The voice in your head was one you didn't recognise, it was quiet and easily ignored but doing so worried you. Should you ignore such a voice? A voice that laid such sinister trails in your brain, baiting you into a deep pool of something dark? You had never had such an understanding of your feelings as you did in that moment, yet you still couldn't figure out where the voice had come from. Had it always been there? Just too quiet to hear, growing louder and louder.

You looked up to see Link staring at you from across the dining table. He cheeks were flushed red and he quickly turned his gaze from you. You wandered what had caused such a reaction. Had you said something wrong? Maybe being as quiet as you were, was strange, and upsetting. Link already had a lot of problems in his own mind, you decided to keep yours to yourself.

"Sorry, Link. I'm still a little tired." You smiled softly. "Zelda is going to show us all her new research today, right?"

Link nodded, tucking into his food, still avoiding your eyes. "Should be helpful, at least I hope it is... I mean it will be." 

He seemed nervous, and that made you nervous. All of a sudden you had become so conscious of all your actions and their consequences. You were normally nervous around Link, but this was different - this was more violent, a heavy pressure on your head. It was a strange emotion, and one of the few that had physical elements to it.

Link frowned, watching you stare back down at your plate again with blank eyes. He sighed, pushing his empty plate aside, reaching across the table to take your hand in his. He was so used to just walking through the aftermath of events such as the attacks in Gerudo and the conflict in Rito village, even more so now he had been building on himself. He thought back to the small book containing the memoirs of the old Soldier, which had helped him so much. The least he could do was pass on his knowledge.

"Y/N, you're not yourself, please talk to me." Link held your gaze, watching your glazed y/e/c eyes flicker over his expression. "We can go elsewhere if you need to."

You looked down again. The voice in your head muttered something about pity, weakness and inconvenience. It reminded you of the way Link used to talk about himself when you first met. You swallowed hard.

"How about a walk in the gardens?" You said quietly. "The flowers are so lovely there."

Link smiled, standing and walking to your side of the table, offering his arm to you.

 

You walked silently through the field of vibrant flowers. You had learnt before your journey, that the seasons would bring new flowers as they brought different weather. You had arrived during spring, full of yellows and blues and pale pinks. Now, the field was filled with deep purples and reds, a few trees at the edges bore brightly colours fruit. Children ran back and forth, enjoying the warm sunshine, while a small group of adults sat below a plum tree, next to baskets full of the ripening fruit. 

You took a deep breath and opened your mouth.

"You don't have to tell me everything, not until your ready." Link spoke gently, staring at the floor. "You taught me that." He smiled slightly, remembering all the times you had consoled him. "I just thought it might help to have someone to listen to what you are ready to talk about."

Link looked up at you with such a caring gaze, which warmed you right through. You felt all doubt leave your body, leaving nothing but a little ball of questions, now clear as day in your mind. Maybe talking a little will help.

"You're still worried about your powers?" He started walking again, holding your arm tight against his own, spare hand rubbing circles into the back of your hand.

"Not so much... I mean, I worry I may hurt someone... I don't know how to control it..."

"Well, if you remember, I was assigned as your guide and guardian. That includes protecting you." He looked down at your face once again. "I promise to help you learn to control these powers, no matter what. And to protect you from them if you cannot."

"Link, I can't ask you to do that... what if I hurt you?" Your lip quivered at the thought. Link stopped walking and you turned to face him. "I can't even imagine doing that." A tear rolled down your left cheek, and a thumb swiped it away.

"Y/n, I understand the feeling. I am..." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm scared I might hurt people too." His eyes flickered over the scar on your chin, now faded and almost invisible. "I already have."

"And I forgave you."

"So, If you ever manage to beat me in a fight," A small smirk brought a grin to your face. "Then I will forgive you for it."

You swallowed, looking down at the floor for a moment. Link was so close to you, face leaning in to yours without meaning to. His hands still held your arms close to him, the heat of his body radiating over you. It felt like sparks dancing over your skin. You shook all the thoughts away - too much to think about at once, in this moment.

You nodded. "Deal." You turned to continue walking.

"Was there something else?"

"A lot of people were hurt in Gerudo town." You said softly. Guilt shot through Link's gut like a dagger, realising that you had likely been affected by what you had both seen. He could so easily forget your lack of experience, as if you had been part of his life, always.

Link squeezed your hand in his. "There was nothing we could do. Those attacks are on  _them,_ not you."

"We were supposed to..."

"We had no idea, y/n." Link sighed. "Months ago, I couldn't even leave the castle during the day. I couldn't sleep without seeing the faces of the people I knew years ago, burning in their homes and my mind would scream failure to me." His jaw clenched slightly. 

"Link you don't have to-"

"I want to." He looked up at you, a determined harshness in his eyes. "But just knowing Zelda and the people in the castle were there for me, no matter how much I blamed on myself - Ganon, the lost towns, the Divine beasts, the Champions... Zelda." He screwed his eyes shut, taking a deep, shaky breath inwards. You stood quietly, watching his face carefully.

"I knew that if they could forgive me, for all that I blamed on myself, that maybe one day I could forgive myself."

Just hearing those words made you feel lighter on your feet. Link wasn't trying to insist your thoughts were wrong, he could relate to how you felt for the victims to the Stranger's attacks, it validated your thoughts. He had found a way to accept his mistakes - real or a product of anxiety and doubt - and forgive them.

You knew it would take time, you knew that when you found out about Link's problems. But you knew it was real - you had watched this brilliant young Hylian grow, from a pale faced, thing and hollow man into the strong, caring person holding you right now. You looked up into his eyes, filled with such warmth and ... and something else.

"And then you appeared." Link took a step closer to you, your foreheads almost touching as he looked down at your hands, held gently in his. "And you accepted me, even as you watched me fall apart over and over. Even as you learned my past and the things I had done, even as I showed you my weaknesses."

He chuckled slightly. "Goddesses I sound like such a sap right now, eh?"

You giggled up at him, and his heart swelled further, seeing your happiness at his words.

"You are a wonderful person, y/n. And I will be your Guardian as long as you need me to, forever if need be." He chuckled along with you again. Your face was flushed bright red, practically glowing with happiness. You pushed your forehead against his own.

"I'm really touched you could tell me that, Link." You swallowed, watching his soft gaze as he drank in every wonderful detail of your smiling face. "I want to tell you something too-"

A large drop of water fell onto your arm with a light tap, followed by several more. Link looked up to the sky which was almost black with heavy cloud. Link grinned down at you, still chuckling lightly. You smirked at him, stepping away towards the castle as the few drops turned quickly into a downpour.

"In your dreams, y/n!" You both took off, running through the flowers and up the steep entrance way to the Castle. 

Link quickly overtook you but slipped up the wet cobbles just before the large doors to the Castle entry hall. You pushed past him, hearing something about foul play, running into the ancient building moments before Link. An instant later, a shout came from behind you as Link jumped at you, wrapping his arms around your waist and lifting you over his shoulder. You squealed with delight, giggling uncontrollably.

"The young one has no respect for the rules of the game!" Link began strutting down the hallways, catching the eyes of guards and staff alike, who did nothing but smile fondly, glad to see the pair of you home safe and well - and back you your old tricks.

"Good to see you both home!" A maid you knew as Leslie smiled and waved as you passed. You waved back, thankful that your friends didn't just ridicule you.

"Link! Put me down! Aaaahhh!" He span you around as he carried you through the castle.

"Thanks to your nonsense, young one, we are late to see the Princess!" Link was using a mock upper-class voice, one Zelda had been brought up to use. "We mustn't disappoint!"

You couldn't help but fall into laughter, giving in to Link as he held you, flopped over his shoulder. At the top of the stairs to the Ancient hall, he gently brought you to your feet.

"After you, young one..." He bowed low, nose almost touching the floor. You mirrored his action, both falling into giggles, before stepping into the Large open hall.

 

You made it to the base of the stairs to find Zelda and Purah stood before Link's sword, still glowing bright with energy, stood in a stand on one of the desks. The room was silent, and held a stiffening atmosphere, as you approached Zelda. The two scientists were stood quietly, and you noticed a gently frown on their faces, something you hadn't yet seen on Purah at all. 

Link spoke in the silence. "Zelda, Purah, you wanted to show us your work?"

Zelda jumped a little and turned. "Yes, sorry, I was deep in thought."

"Where are the others? Robbie? Symin? Jerrin?" You asked, voice growing soft as Zelda's face dropped once again.

"Well, Symin took some of our Guardians to Gerudo Town to help with repairs... and..."

Purah turned to look up at Link and yourself. "Robbie's son Grante, is missing. They went to find him."

You brought a hand up to your mouth. "Missing?"

Purah continued, Zelda fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "Grante had been travelling for a long time, but often visited and wrote home after the fall of the Calamity. But he hasn't heard anything in months." Purah's voice didn't sound natural talking about such things - It didn't fit.

"Someone caught him stealing supplies from a stable. Luckily it was a friend of his, who worked at the stable and knew his name. Apparently he didn't even recognise them." Zelda spoke clearly, though you heard the wobble he tried to hide.

"I see..." Link replied. "Much like the prisoner we took in Rito village..." You shared a solemn moment of silence.

"However, that's not what we are here for." Zelda turned to a pile of books behind her, returning with a large, ancient text you didn't recognise.

"Please, sit," Purah gestured to a few stools across the room. You all took a seat around a short table, Zelda placed the ageing script on the dark wooden surface.

"Y/n, your ability to translate these runes meant that, while you were away, we were able to get a grasp on the language, enough to read this." She opened to the first page, bearing the title of the script.

_In the beginning_

"It's history beyond what we could even imagine." Purah piped up, her usual, excited tone returning. 

"Where did you find this? I thought you already had all the ancient script still readable?" You cocked your head to the side.

"We have been making a lot of progress on the Castle ruins, the King's secret Library being one particular place we looked into." Purah replied.

"My father inherited it from my grandmother, and she from her father, and so on. It was an old maid's tale that it contained a tunnel to an extended library, filled with Hyrule's secrets." Zelda spoke excitedly, passion practically bursting through her words.

"While excavating the tunnels we had made before the Calamity, dug to find the four pillars that were able to channel the divine beasts' attack, we found such a room." Zelda continued. "It seems the tunnel from the Royal library had long collapsed and closed in, but the room itself is directly below Castle Town."

"That's where you found it?" You gestured to the book. Zelda nodded.

"This and a few others, though many of them were stone tablets, mounted on the walls, so those we had to capture using the Sheikah slate." Purah added. "Thanks again for letting us keep that, Link."

Link shook his head. "I have no use for it any more."

Zelda continued. "This book in particular, talks about theories in regards to the very creation of Hyrule. It's a little vague, but it outlines their general ideas. Y/n, do you mind?" Zelda turned the book in your direction, looking expectantly in your direction.

You looked down at the swirling symbols, and began to read. Zelda would scribble notes at moments you assumed she hadn't managed to decipher the words herself, while Link and Purah listened calmly. The book told of the well known legend and Goddess Hylia, who created Hyrule, made possible by the ancient Goddesses - Din, Nayru and Farore. The Goddesses oversaw all time, and all space, all versions of the world, occupying different spaces at the same time. This part confused you slightly, but Purah explained.

"It's an ancient idea with little evidence, but it's possible there are different versions of our world. The Goddesses exist in a different realm to us, so if Hylia really did create Hyrule, it may exist on many other realms as well." 

Link lent forward, intrigued. "So there could be a copy of our world in another realm, where we are having this exact conversation? Or another realm, where we are all much younger? or shorter?"

"Essentially. But we have no way of knowing."

The book went on to describe similar things found in a lot of religious texts written by monks devote to Hylia. That the world and all of its realms contained a balance of good and evil. The book described Ganon as an entity capable of collecting the evil energy and containing it within his being, just as the Goddesses were products and users of good magic and energy. You read on, finding that the Calamity was repeatedly vanquished by the Hero and the mortal reincarnation of Hylia. Some theories in the book suggested the evil in Ganon was trapped, while others suggested it was completely destroyed and sent to another realm.

The prophecy that Link and Zelda had become part of was generated by the ancient Sheikah people. It was thought to have come from their deep connection with Hylia or even their advanced technology. You thought back to another text book, which described and ancient Sheikah scientist working with the sheikahtahl metal substance, used in a lot of the ancient architecture. You remembered a vision of the ancient hall being used as a place of healing and worship. You continued to read.

Further on in the scripture, sheikahtahl was mentioned. It was vague, but many ancient monks believed it was traces of the Goddesses presence int he world. It was used to connect to Hylia, and from what you could understand, the energy found in sheikahtahl could be recharged when using it to channel a divine connection.

You stared down at the page for a moment, misunderstanding what you just read. Zelda was beaming, practically buzzing.

"That's it... The metal can hold divine energy. It's in the shrines, the towers, the Divine beasts, it was all built with the Goddesses in mind. We haven't tested it yet, but we believe the sword is sheikahtahl too." Zelda began waving her arms, excitedly. "This room, its covered in it, can channel energy right to the centre. The divine beasts would connect to the Champions like the monks could heal using the room..." She looked up at Link.

"The monks in the shrines, they would dissapear when you deactivated them, completed them, yes?" Zelda lent forward as Link nodded.

Zelda stood. "People have always felt Hylia's presence, at different capacities. Monks claim to talk to her, Link, you and I have experienced things beyond our knowledge... What of the metal enhances this connection?"

"Zelda? You've lost me." You said quietly.

She knelt before you. "Y/n, you contain traces of the sheikahtahl, or at least traces of the Goddesses." She took your hands. "You were brought to us in this room, used to channel energy from the divine realm, in theory. I can't yet see how your abilities tie into all this but..."

She glanced at Link for a moment before looking back to you. "I believe you were created by the divine beings themselves."


	38. Clarification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MMMM just a lil one, hope you like it. Been super inspired to write lately and i'm gonna SEIZE THE LACK OF WRITERS BLOCK  
> Enjoy

"Zelda... I can't be... I just..." Your words came stuttered from your lips, mind stood still as you tried to process the idea. 

"Whatever you have within you, is also within the ancient material sheikahtahl." Zelda shifted, turning to point at the words in the book. "The ancients understood it could hold divine energy, and could be used to connect with the Goddesses. The shrines required the presence of a monk to connect the structure to the divine realm."

"The metal enhanced the monk's abilities to interact with the Goddesses, thus connect all the ancient structures together through them. It allowed the Sheikah tablet to interact and control them, and for Link and Zelda to communicate, perhaps even for the Goddesses to guide them." Purah was frantically scribbling notes in a tiny notebook as she spoke. "When the trials were complete, the monks were released, perhaps there is a permanent bind that can be made?"

"But the shrines still glow?" Link spoke up.

"The metal can hold energy regardless..." Zelda thought for a moment. "We will need some time to think this through. But it would explain why y/n can absorb and deposit energy, perhaps only within sheikahtahl, like the sword."

Your eyes grew wide, a realisation hitting you.

"I could take the energy from the sword... from the bombs, and return it to Vah Naboris?" You spoke hopefully.

Zelda jumped to her feet. "Yes!!" She darted back over to her desk. "The new Yiga members must have found a way to drain energy from the metal..."

"I'll be honest, I'm a little lost in the details, but if there is a way we can use this to heal Vah Naboris, I'll help." Link had patiently listened to Zelda and Purah ramble, but much like yourself, he was a little confused.

"All you and y/n need to understand, is that, like the Goddesses, and like the Calamity, y/n is a being capable of collecting energy, both light and dark, in huge amounts. Sheikahtahl is the only known element that can do the same, like the Master sword." Purah explained. "Vah Naboris may require a lot more energy to revive them however..."

"The bombs used to attack Vah Medoh... you don't think they were made using the energy drained from Vah Naboris?" Zelda questioned, bringing a small schematic of the Divine beast to the table.

"If they were, then we should be a lot more wary of the attacker's powers. Not only do they have full control of their followers, they can make weapons containing large amounts of energy." Link was using his soldier voice, and you couldn't think of a better time to use it. 

The others continued to talk through ideas and theories while you turned your gaze to the floor. This was a lot to take in at once. You, y/n, you had always known, undoubtedly, that you weren't normal. You weren't like most Hylians, who were born to a mother and father. You had abilities beyond belief yet it was all you knew. If you truly could master the ability to control the flow of this divine energy, you could become incredibly useful to Zelda and the entirety of Hyrule. You could help all the people who had welcomed you into the world so kindly. 

You knew there would be backlash. If you were to begin demonstrating such powers, the people of Castle Town would have questions. But Link had abilities of his own that he could use alongside the Sheikah tablet. You'd never seen them yourself, but surely the Townsfolk could accept him? Why not you? What if the Hyrule leaders became wary of you again? wanted to have you locked up? shut away? The voice in the back of your head grew louder, whispering terrible things as your head began to vibrate with tension.

You thought back to the promises Link had made, to protect you, to listen, to help you control the abilities. You took a deep shaky breath, looking up to Link, still listening intently to Zelda and Purah.

"I would like to help. I'm sorry I don't understand the exact science of all this but if you think I can do it... I will." You smiled gently at Zelda, eyes flickering over to Link, to find his face covered in a wide, proud smile.

Zelda beamed, once again kneeling before you to take your hands. "Thank you, y/n. You are going to help save so many people."

Purah nodded. "All we need now is for you to tell us exactly what happened while you were gone, we've heard the story briefly but I want to have a proper story written down."

Link began to recount the entire journey, pausing when Purah made notes. Zelda was working on some large schematic with complicated equations, so you remained quiet until it was all done. After another few hours of discussions and questions, Link lead you from the Ancient hall. Your mind was tired and full of new information. With your arm wrapped in Link's, you both wandered the upper layers of the Castle ruins, something Link had missed doing on your trip.

 

You were both silent as you sat on the edge of a fallen turret, looking out west over the river. The sun was low in the sky, and dragonflies swooped through the damp grass by the running water, which swayed in the light breeze flowing through the field. It was peaceful, but your head was so full of noise.

"So, created by the Goddesses, eh?" Link said, quietly. You nodded, not looking up.

"I imagine you must feel like you're under a lot of pressure." Link sat forward, pushing his shoulder into your own. You looked up at him.

"I want to do it, I can fight them... whoever they are."

"I don't doubt that...but..." He hesitated, mouth open, looking for the right words. "I just want you to know, you will always be y/n, to me. Goddesses creation or not."

You smiled, but tilted your head to one side. "Does that make me different?"

"If Zelda decides to tell Hyrule of you, which she may, in an effort to help calm the people, they may decide to hold you in a higher place than before." Link picked up a small loose stone from beside him and held it in his hand. "When I was name Champion, everyone would cheer when they saw me, and praise me and welcome me."

Link threw the stone back into the rubble. "I hated it." He chuckled. "But there were also people who doubted me. I wasn't royalty, or particularly strong or gifted. I was less than dirt to some of them." A flicker of sadness entered his eyes. 

"Link..." You put a hand on his shoulder and turned to face him.

Link shook his head. "I'm rambling. I just don't want what I had, for you. You deserve better." Link stood slowly, offering a hand out to you, which you took.

"Let's get some food, listening to Zelda's science always makes me tired and Hungry." You giggled, following him back to the main castle interior.


	39. Revisiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title of chapter inspired by me skimming through all the old chapters. I'm not sure if I like the fact that my writing style has changed, but I kinda feel like I have less time to put the same amount of effort in as i did in those first few chapters. I'm sorry if anyone had felt the same, so I am going to try and make this story better and better. It may mean shorter chapters, but I started this out wanting to do my best and that is how we SHALL END IT!!!  
> Much love to you all, happy chapter 39, and thank you so much to those who have read from the start, and who have become friends of mine, and to those I have seen begin to write their own stories. <3 You are the people I write this for.
> 
> Also LOL You guys are gona freek out... hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahah

You sat opposite Link in the large, but empty dining room. You had almost finished your bowl of stew, while Link was wiping the remains of his own meal up with a few chunks of bread. You smiled lightly, head still heavy with an overwhelming amount of information. You stirred the contents of your bowl as you ran over the days events in your head once again.

While you had been incredibly proud of the work Zelda had done, you silently wished she hadn't bothered. Now you knew where you had come from, you felt as if you were here to fulfil some purpose, but was that all you were here for? What would happen when you completed it? What if you couldn't? What happened tot hose who failed the Goddesses themselves?

You had known from the start you weren't like other Hylians. But now, after this revelation, you  _felt_ different, you looked a everyone like they were a million miles away. Though, Link had expressed similar feelings in regards to being the Hero of Hyrule. Both he and Zelda had been born to live through a prophecy, a pre-planned life, set out before them. You had a little less guidance, but you suppose you brought them closer to them.

But what would others think? The soldiers you trained with had often praised you for your strength, though you hadn't seen them in a while. The kitchen staff you had befriended, including the young maid Leslie who had been so kind to you, had also treated you no differently. Though now rumours of Gerudo Town and Rito Village had preceded your return, you couldn't ignore the quiet whispers and silent glances over shoulders. Had Link felt this way when he returned here? after years of being stuck in his own mental trap?

Had Zelda felt the same? When she had been praised and worshipped for being identified as the reincarnation of a Goddess, her everyday had been set out before her. She had gone along with it as best she could, but could never quite keep up. Then, after all the champions had been slaughtered, Link injured almost beyond repair, after only just holding the barrier around the Calamity for 100 years, with no chance of defeating him alone, she came back to rebuild the whole world. All without a second thought.

Zelda was the strongest person you knew. No doubts there. 

You looked up to see Link, chin in hand and elbow lent on the table, he was looking off in the other direction. His eyes were narrowed and ears pricked up s if listening to something, but you were to lost in your thoughts to care. His hair was pulled into a small bun, stray strands fell about his ears and back of his neck. He wore his usual pale blue tunic, strips of cloth bound into bracers and dark, finger-less leather gloves. This is how he looked most days, it was noting new. But something about the details right now was all you could think of.

Then he scowled, harshly.

"Link?" You gave him a worried glance and he turned his head in your direction, looking down into his bowl.

"They are talking about you." He gestured to the entryway with his finger. You glanced over to a pair of maids you didn't really recognised, giggling, one casting glances in your direction.

"Oh." You turned back to your own bowl. You swallowed, trying to figure out how you were supposed to feel about the whole thing. Your new abilities certainly were strange, and while you could understand people being scared, what was so funny.

"What did they say?"

"Oh, uh..." Link shrugged. "It was stupid, they are jealous of you getting to be close to me."

"Why is that funny?" You clasped your hands together in your lap, glancing back over to the doorway - the pair had left.

"Well..." Link's cheeks were burning red. You raised a brow and tilted your head. "They think you are trying to seduce me, then started calling you names... they were probably jealous y/n it doesn't matter."

"Oh..." Your face turned red to, the glow travelling all the way to the tips of your ears.

"Yeah... but like I said, doesn't matter." Link stood, offering an arm for you to take. "Come with me, I have a surprise for you."

Your face lit up. "For me? Link I-"

"Nope, just be quiet and enjoy it." He held up a finger when you tried to question him. You let out a puff of air, but stood and did as he asked.

 

Link led you to the castle entrance, down the long, descending path to the gardens, past the field of flowers, now bathed in white light as the moon held its place in the clear skies. You wandered through the silent Town square, and past the gates at the entrance to the Town. You noticed the tall walls built by the guardians in the darkness, and your gut twisted. Is it safe to leave at night?

You tightened your grip on Link's arm, and he turned to see you eyeing the tall gates as you passed.

"Hey, I'm here, nothing can happen that we can't stop okay?" Link pulled you closer, arms threading around your waist.

"I'm not worried about me..." You looked up at your favourite pair of shining blue eyes, they looked so beautiful in the evening light.

"Hey, y/n. While I'm still not proud of it, I am the only person to have dealt a blow to the one and only divine creation." He grinned, gesturing to the small silver line on your chin. "So I am not worried about anything."

You giggled lightly. "Link..."

"I will keep us safe, I promise. I only wanted to take you out to our spot..." You looked over his shoulder as he spoke, to see the one lone tree out in the large open space of Hyrule Feild. You looked back up at Link and nodded.

"Sorry... I just-"

"Don't, I know what it feels like, you don't need to apologise. Ever." Link kept an arm around you and continued walking. Your heart swelled. Right now you couldn't think of a better place to be than by this man's side.

 

You made it to the tree and you both sat down at the base of the trunk, shoulders pressed together and heads lent back against the bark. Link pulled the small satchel he carried with him to the side, and pulled a small parcel from inside. He placed it on your lap and waited.

"Surprise."

You pulled away the edges of the paper to reveal two candied apples - your favourite. You looked up at Link with a small smile, your body filled with a mixture of sadness and love, and you didn't know why. You passed him one of the apples, he thanked you quietly, and you ate in silence. Your mind returned to itself, as peace flowed through you. 

The stars glimmered in the sky, the gently breeze brought the smell of fresh grass past you. The large branches of the tree began to creak with the wind, as leaves rustled and grasshoppers buzzed nearby. You had spent so many evenings with Link here when you first arrived, you had treasured that time spent with your friend, but now it was so much more.

You felt sadness, because you knew Link had been here before, stuck in his own head, running back and forth through terrible memories. And while you are sure you had experienced nothing compared to what Link had been through, this was exactly what you needed. You wished you could have done the same for him, back before you arrived, before he returned to the castle, before the Calamity. He deserved so much more then what he had been through.

You noticed him glance several times towards Castle Town. Guilt stabbed into your gut as you realised he was checking for a fire. You placed a hand on his, which he had resting on his thigh. He looked up at you to see your most beautiful smile. You took a deep breath and gently lowered your head to settle on his shoulder.

Goddesses, what did he do to deserve you? Right now, Link felt as if you had been sent by the divine just for him. Though he also felt incredibly selfish for thinking that, especially given the new threat that had arrived. He had wandered where they had originated, the new Yiga. They were incredibly strong, and if you really had been sent to help defeat them, how much stronger could they get? Link had thought they were some kind of worshippers of Ganon, but what if it was something else?

His thoughts dissipated as you shifted, seemingly drifting off to sleep. Link sighed, letting his arm settle around your waist. He let himself take one more glance towards Castle Town, before sinking into the warm embrace with you. He lent his head atop your own, watching the sky twinkle.

This would be the perfect moment to tell them, Link thought. This was their favourite place, under the stars, the sweet taste of candied apples still on your tongues. Link raised a hand to run his fingers through your hair, stomach flipping as you let out a low hum in response. In your sleepy state, your hand found its way to lean on your chest.

The pressure of your warm body alone had set Link's on fire, but now your fingertips grazed the bare skin behind his collar, sparks danced over him. His heart was so full of adoration and mind so full worries he all but tensed up at the action.

You looked up at him, waking from your half-asleep state as he flinched. You realised you had pulled yourself close to him, and looked up at him, jaw clenched, worried you had overstepped. Link smiled, placing his hand over yours, and as your face turned a deep pink, and you settled back into his arms. 

This was definitely the kind of thing couples did. You were sure all the gentle touches, hushed words and foreheads placed against each other, where the type of thing couples did. You had denied it up to now, but it had always felt so wonderful you wouldn't ignore it. There were the times you had imagined kissing Link, pulling him close, imagined him touching you, pleasuring you. You wanted nothing more then to do the same for him, but you could never find the right moment.

Until now. What better time to choose? You had already promised yourself you would. You swallowed, heart beating rapidly in your chest, body frozen in anticipation of your own words.

"Link," You looked up to meet his eyes, taking in a deep shaking breath.

"I love you."


	40. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WOAH  
> HOLD UP  
> READ THIS FIRST  
> I know you are all excited for this chapter, and trust me, it is a good one - BUT IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK.  
> I can't remember if I've written anything majorly graphics before but this is probably what I consider a little bit gross, so please, if you are a little squeamish - this does contain mild gore.  
> BUT  
> BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT
> 
> T H A N K Y O U F O R 500 KU D O S <3 <3 <3 <3<3  
> You do not understand how wonderful it is to watch the number tick up slowly, to receive emails telling me one of you has commented and it is ALWAYS positive, and lovely, and constructive. I could not have asked for better readers and gosh dang you all.  
> Thank you for such a wonderful time in this fandom... and I am not nearly done, not even close.  
> Muchest of love, <3

You heard the words leave your lips before you felt your mouth move. Your body went numb as his head whipped round to look down at you. His expression was blank – unreadable. Several long, unbearable moments passed.

  
Had you made a mistake?

  
His face melded slowly into one of a soft, but sad smile. He shifted his weight, kneeling before you with his forehead lent against yours. With your back to the tree, you tilted your chin up, eyes wide, waiting for Link to say the words he was struggling to form.

  
He opened his mouth, you held your breath.

  
“Y/n, I l-“

  
His face twisted and his shoulder was pushed into the tree next to your head. He cried out in pain as blood seeped down his arm – a large red, glowing arrow had his arm pinned against the bark of the tree.

  
“NO!” You scrambled to your feet and rounded Link to tug at the arrow. “Link no, NO.”

  
You desperately pulled at the sharp ended arrow, the head now embedded in Link’s flesh, a small red bulge in the wood glowing an angry red. You froze when you recognised the colour.

  
Link tried to pull himself free but just continued to scream and grunt in pain. You saw fury and fear in his eyes, pooling and mixing together into a deadly poison. It fuelled your own panic into anger, as you whipped your head around, searching for the archer.

  
As you looked away another sickening thud came from behind you, as another arrow whipped past your thigh. Link cried out again, hands grasping at his wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

  
“NO!” You crouched next to him once again, but your blank angered mind refused to provide a solution other than to stop and hurt whoever was doing this. Your stomach lurched when you saw the perpetrator.

  
The stranger from the Yiga Hideout.

  
You took a steady breath, swallowing hard and standing between them and Link in defence. They stood some 30ft away, in the inky darkness of the empty field, alone.  
Another arrow at the ready, the stranger cocked their head to the side in a taunt. You steadied your breathing, recalling your combat training, scenarios and plans of attack running like water through your mind, crashing together and filling you with a long-awaited opportunity.

  
They’d always had the advantage up until now, this was a poor move on their part.

  
You didn’t remember how to call upon any of the powers you had used before, apart from the strength. You had used that several times, and as the stranger leased their arrow, you felt the energy flowing into your body.

  
You arm darted forward and caught the arrow from the air as it tried to pass over your shoulder, a film of blue light coating its surface. It would have hit Link’s head.

  
You placed your hand on the orb – a bulge shoved into the fibres of the wood itself, like an infection. You felt the familiar tightness in your head as you sensed the evil within the magic used to make the arrow, before pulling on the energy it held.

  
The red light flickered out, as blue flooded your veins and disappeared beneath the skin. This wasn’t nearly as much absorbed as last time, but you still felt a little disorientated. You were in control but dissociating.

  
You shook the feeling off, focusing again on the stranger.

  
“You should be dead.” They tilted their head to the side once again.

  
“Must’ve been something you didn’t plan for.” You walked forward, your vision flickering between the dimly lit reality of Hyrule field, and the warped, folded sight you had first used after meeting this stranger.

  
After they attacked you, hurt you – _hurt him_.

  
You narrowed your gaze on them, their calm stance was unsettling as the casually reached over their shoulder for another arrow. Their form, in your sight, was a viscous black, flowing and pulsating, dark red flames spattering the edges – they looked like a shadow.

  
You caught another arrow, plucking it from the air like nothing, feasting on the energy it held and tossing it to the side. Another arrow, this time aiming for you, caught and used and thrown away. More and more came towards you, as if the stranger was beginning to panic.

  
You felt yourself grow stronger, the vibrations in the back of your skull growing into sounds and words, your fury building into a driving force like no other. Your movements became skittish and blurred before your eyes, you stood in front of the stranger, watching their shadowed form squirm.

  
“Damn, you - divine _scum_.”

  
Their fist came to your face, a roaring red flame tracing the arc they made. You instinctively held up the flat of your forearm in defence. On impact, a burning, black energy cut through your being. It hurt more than anything else had in your short life.

  
You cried out in pain, shaking as you stood back, glaring, breathing heavily through grit teeth at the stranger, who stood smirking. You raised your arms again, getting yourself into a proper fighting stance.

  
Your muscles were pulsating with energy, your mind buzzing, running faster than you could comprehend in this state. Your actions played out before you could finish processing them – something else was moving through you, guiding you, something foreign and powerful.

  
The stranger moved to hit your face again, but this time your focus hit back. You tried to drain the energy from the stranger’s fist like you had done the orbs and the arrows. But instead of the familiar blue light flooding into your hand, a blue circle appeared.

  
One that deflected the stranger’s attack as a powerful shield.

  
They stumbled back. Staring. You remained still for a moment, as they tilted their head to the side. The voice within you pulled you from your stillness, and you rushed forward, fists now armed with two small blue circled of light.

  
You swung your leg up to catch the back of the stranger’s thigh, they dodged, turning quickly and igniting their hands in the familiar blood-red fire. You regained your stance in time to block a hit to your chest, pushing the energy back towards them. They used the momentum to twist around and bring a knee to your chest.

  
You felt the pain numb quickly, but it still knocked you back a step. You brought your arm around again, aiming for the mask.

  
The stranger caught your fist, pushing it to the side and hitting into your gut again. You were losing focus, frantically aiming hits that could never land, fighting with your own mind to regain control, to push every ounce of energy against this being.

  
_Let us._

  
The vibrations in your mind were finally understandable, speaking in mumbles and tongues that were just noise to you until now. You felt another wave of energy smother your mind and body, and everything went silent.

Link’s eyes were blurring, a bad sign after losing this much blood, but he couldn’t stay still. He had to get out, get away, help you fight whoever did this. He pulled his shoulder, screaming as the barbs of the arrowhead tore further into his flesh. He swallowed, shuddering as he managed to pull himself around enough to see you.

  
You – or the other form of you – were engaged in a highspeed, powerful battle. Deep red smoke and fire gushed from the stranger, cries of pain from both of you, blue light casting long shadows that shook with your every movement. It was hard for Link to make out, but your form shook and shimmered as it had done in Rito Village.

  
He just hoped you would return as you did before.

 

You were numb, floating in nothing, yet seeing everything. It was like you were watching the fight from a great distance, yet you were seeing through your own eyes. Something else held you now, something with a daunting presence.

  
You tried to move, though the body you sat within did not mimic those movements. Instead, you tried to concentrate, thinking about moving your right arm – with all you might, you pushed your will into the action. It was exhausting, tiring, painful almost - draining you of what little energy you had right now.

  
But it worked.

  
The last time this had happened you had no memory of it – is completely taken over. Now, perhaps your mind was stronger, you had an influence. You watched your body block, defend, hit, punch, kick, scream in pain. You could think clearly here but knew you would have to act fast.

  
You focussed in onto the stranger’s mask, willing your body to aim for it, to remove it, destroy it. You had to know who this was.

 

 

They continued to dodge, weave and defend themselves with ease, stamina never faltering as you continued to add to the collection of bruises and scraps across the stranger’s body. You now had a fair few of your own, and all Link could do was watch helplessly, downed and pinned to a tree. Tears spilt over his cheeks, frustrated and useless. His vision was flickering in and out, head spinning and mind long since lost any sense of safety. He called out your name, again, and again.

 

 

With a shout you landed a crushing blow to their face, shattering the base of the mask. The stranger held both your arms, the both of you caught in a deadlock, and you froze. The left-most portion of the mask fell away, revealing red, furious eyes, boring deep holes into your form. These eyes sat above dark circles – exhaustion, stress – and a scarred and battered jawline. The face belonged to a ferocious young woman.

  
The stranger screamed, shoving you away from her and began clawing at her broken mask.

  
“Filthy.” The fires at her hands reignited.

  
“Disgusting.” You froze as she took a low stance, hands balling around thin air.

  
“Pest.” A red light began to glow, slipping between her fingers, as red smoke twisted from somewhere to your left and filtered into her grasp. You tried to move, screaming to your body to stop her, do something. But you could only stand and watch.

  
A red beam contacted her chest and you both whipped around to find the source. A guardian stood tall at the end of Hyrule field, red and glowing, aiming for the stranger’s own eye.

  
The stranger growled, throwing their fist full of blood red to the ground.

A large explosion followed – not from the guardian but by whatever the stranger had pulled into existence. You flew backwards, feeling the strong presence peel away from you. You sat up, now fully aware of your surroundings, frantically searching for your opponent.

Your heart was racing, sweat coating your body and fire in your blood. The smoke cleared and you found nothing. You kicked the ground harshly, realising they had disappeared again. You let out a screech, turning on the spot and stopping suddenly.

 

Link.

 

You turned back to the small tree, face growing pale and a heavy stone falling through your gut. A guardian approached his still, pale body, and a soldier stepped down from behind it. A few more, riding the guardians, appeared next to you.

You ran to Link, ignoring the fearful stares and flinches as you passed, falling to your knees beside the young Hylian. You took his face in your palms, gently turning him up to you. He was out cold, and his left side was a sickening crimson with his own blood.

You felt the anger return and using your strength, cast a shimmering field over the arrows, slowly removing them from the tree. You managed to do this without tearing more flesh. Link now lay lifeless on the ground before you, and in your numb fury, you heard echoed shouts for a medic.

You stared at his face – broken and tear stained. You heart cracked, knowing only now what he must have felt when the Calamity defeated him, for nothing but the death of his friends.

 

You had failed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, you guys are gonna hate me.  
> Please remember the good times? the fluff? the smut??  
> I promise to bring you more if you just.... bare with this horrible horrible ending???
> 
> MUAHAHAHA  
> NO REGRETS HAHAHAHAHAHHA  
> Much love <3  
> (I am really sorry though.)


	41. An Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, you guys are gonna love this. Totally makes up for the late chapter (Exam season, sorry!).  
> WARNING: SICKENINGLY SWEET FLUFF. It's LIKE A WALL OF CANDYFLOSS GUYS.  
> Much love <3

Link blinked heavily in the bright light from the sun, now filtering in soft beams through the large glass windows, lining the tops of the walls. The castle infirmary would have been familiar to him in the past, gaining many training injuries, and some of his own foolishness. Now, slightly aged and patched together in places, beds and equipment out of place in the old hall, it was a strange place to wake up.

Link tried to tilt his head towards the sound of movement to his left. A searing pain shot through his shoulder, and as his body tensed in a reaction, his leg caught fire with pain as well. Link let out a sharp grunt, relaxing back into the pillows, breathless.

“Oh, hey, hey I’m here!” You stood upon hearing Link wake, tired, kind eyes catching his, facing him with a delicate smile. “Just stay still, please, Link.”

The lump that had sat in your throat since the healers had let you into the hall began to swell. Your stomach tightened upon seeing Link let out a weak smile, gaze turning to the ceiling. You gently sat on his bed beside him, watching his face for any discomfort.

You were nervous. Not only had you given him a full confession of your feelings to him, but you’d also let him become hurt, let the stranger get to him, then let the stranger slip away.

“How long… How long has it been?” Link closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as raised his hand to rub his face.

“A day, nearly two. The healers gave you a fair bit of sleeping potion.” You watched his hand fall from his face into his lap.

“I can tell.” Link let out a chuckle. Turning to you. “You are alright?”

“I am, yes.” You looked away from him to the corner of the room, mind full of guilt for letting him get to this state. “Link, I am so sorry. I could have stopped this from happening but…” _All I could think about was telling you how beautiful you are._

“Don’t even think about it. It's not your fault.” Link held his palm out, and you took it hesitantly, heart skipping as your skin touched his own. You smiled, looking back into his eyes – puffy and sluggish, but still glittering with blues more vibrant than ever.

You sat silently for a moment. Link studied your face. He knew how you felt – knowing had things been different you could have prevented someone from hurting – someone you cared for from hurting. He remembered your confession, right in that wonderful, perfect moment before he was shot.

Maybe trips to your tree aren’t such a good idea anymore.

Link chuckled to himself.

“What’s so funny?” You raised an eyebrow, cheeks flush with embarrassment, worried you may have done something wrong – held his gaze too long, made a face, said something wrong.

“Don’t you want my answer?”

Your gut flipped within you, your heart lurched forward into your throat, beating more quickly. Your mouth fell open slightly, eyes darting between Link’s. Your face bright red, words beyond you, you nodded.

Link’s face burned, heart racing as you leant forward. He took his hand from yours and instead placed his palm over your cheek. He looked over your pale pink lips, eyes tired from lack of sleep, he wondered how long you had waited for him. Wandered how deep your affections went.

He felt the same, if not stronger. All for you, a miracle in this world and a miracle in his own life. You were his turning point, his guide, and while everyone around him including Zelda gave him the tools to better himself, you were the one he did it for.

But Goddesses, the stranger had heard your confession. Knew his weakness and yours. Could he really be so selfish as to put you in danger like that? They would have the world in their hands if they ever got a hold of you.

His eyes grew sad and he looked down at his lap. You stilled, heart stopping in its tracks.

“I don’t want to hurt you, y/n.”

Your eyes widened in confusion and bitter disbelief. “Wha… Link…”

“They know, they know and could get to you through me… If we… If I… They might try to…”

You screwed your eyes shut in frustration. You let out a deep shaky breath. “So, you don’t…” You took a deep breath, opening your eyes and a tear trickled from your eye, falling over Link’s fingers. “You don’t feel the same way?”

Link’s heart shattered, watching the way your lip trembled. He sat up, forcing his stiffened limbs to push him through the pain.

“Link, you’ll get hurt…” You quietly tried to protest his actions. He pulled you close to him, wiping away tears with his thumb.

“Y/n, I… I love you; I love you like nothing else.”

The smile that you gave in response to his words was bright and warm, causing Link’s heart to flutter and his own mouth to widen into a large grin. You place your hands on his chest, his forehead touching your own. You let out a light chuckle.

“Then why did you seem so reluctant? This doesn’t hurt me…” You looked up into his smiling eyes, with innocent, shining y/e/c eyes.

“If the Yiga know what I am to you, what you are to me…” Link swallowed and fidgeted in your hold. “If they took me, offered my life in return for your surrender…”

“I won’t let them get you.”

“You are the only thing capable of restoring the beasts, y/n. The only person who can stop them.”

“They _won’t_ get you.”

“And if they do?” Link sighed. “If they had you… If they hurt you, laid a finger on you…” He rubbed his eyes and lent back slightly. “I still barely forgive myself for hurting you myself.”

“Link please.” You pulled his hand away. “I won’t let them. You help me get stronger, you train me, help me practice. I won’t let them hurt you again, ever.”

“You can’t promise that, y/n.”

“But I can promise I love you.” You stared into Link’s eyes, wide with awe. “And I can promise you I will do everything I can to stop that.” You smiled lightly. “Besides, you are the Hero of Hyrule.”

Link pushed your shoulder playfully. “Oh, Goddesses.”

“Brave and true! Chosen by Hylia herself!”

“Noooo….” Link fell back into his pillows, his hands finding yours as he moved.

“No one could defeat him!” You giggled, enjoying the blush brought to his cheeks. There was a soft moment of silence, as you watched Link settle into his bed.

“So… does this mean we…” You spoke quietly, Link looking up at you. “Like are we… together?”

“Oh, uh.” Link sat up again slowly, his ears pink as he glanced down to your hands. “If you would like, I would like to…”

“I would love too. I just don’t really know what to do…”

“I’ll be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve been close to someone like this. Maybe we should just go slowly for now.” His words took you back to the small pink book you kept hidden in your possession, only Zelda knew of it. You promised to check it again after this, to find out exactly what going slowly meant.

You nodded, squeezing his hands. “Whatever makes you happy.” Link smiled again, your own cheeks becoming tired of the uncontrollable joy in your heart right now. “Just, tell me exactly what we do… like, what changes?”

“Nothing, y/n. You are still my partner, you don’t need to act differently, I just love you as you are. Please,” He squeezed your hand again. “We will get to the new things when we get there.”

“Thanks, Link.” Your face flushed red yet again, a little embarrassed in your lack of knowledge.

“About time, Hylia above.”

Zelda strutted into the room and your stomach flipped at her words. You turned to give her a guilty expression as she approached Link. He too sunk a little further into his sheets.

“Oh, goodness you too. You’ve been so damned obvious, there’s not a soul in this castle who would be surprised. But still, I won’t tell anyone.” As she spoke, she pulled a chair to the left side of the bed. Your face was burning brightly, but you grinned at Zelda’s words.

“Now Link, you have to stay here for AT LEAST 3 days, but the healers are working on a stranger healing potion as we speak. No arguments, I want you rested. Y/N you stay with him, who knows what he will try and do. He gets restless.”

You nodded, grinning as Link rolled his eyes.

“Now, after the attack the other night, sightings of the symbol have been coming in on the route to Goron city. But they could also be heading for Zora’s domain on a scenic route to try and distract us. Both settlements have been warned and upped guards and patrols as was successful in Rito Village.”

“As soon as Link is ready, you both start training, we want to work with y/n’s powers and have already worked out ways of doing so. Once we have more information on the next attack then you will set out to help.”

“Phew, no all that serious rubbish is out the way…”

Zelda stood, and you did so too, watching her seriousness drop in almost an instance as she pulled you into a tight hug and spun you around.

“OH y/n, I could not be happier for you! Oh, Hylia this is so exciting, and I can’t believe you both FINALLY told each other!” She pulled back, holding you at arm’s length. “Do have dinner with me this evening?”

She turned to Link. “You are not invited because you are sick, and a boy AND I want to hear every detail!” She grinned excitedly back at you and you couldn’t help but giggle. You adored Zelda for her dedication but also for her ability to remain a child at heart.

“Fine, but they are mine until dinner.” Link smirked through his words. Your heart fluttered hearing him calling you “his”.

“Fine,” Zelda grinned, holding out a hand for Link to shake in mock agreement. “Good to see you awake Link, you scared us.” She gave you both a soft smile before excusing herself.

You sat back down beside Link and he took your hands again. “Hard to imagine she runs a kingdom sometimes, huh?” Link quipped.

You laughed at his words, and he couldn’t help but mirror you. He let out a sharp cry as the movement caught his injury. You darted forward, hands hovering over him, not sure what to do.

“It’s okay, just hurts a little.” He pushed your hands away, calming you. You smiled and nodded, heart tense with regret, hating every second of seeing Link in this state.

You couldn’t let this happen again, not now.


	42. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ooof had a tough week you guys. My exams have gone well so far, but I'm about halfway and already running out of motivation. Hopefully, this will make up for the fact this chapter is SUPER late, so I'll try to make it a little longer.  
> Much love to you all

Giggles flew from your body sat across from Zelda. She had just finished telling the story of how Link got his head stuck between two tree branches, before blaming his stupidity of a mythical creature known as a korok. They had been only children at the time, and Zelda had to discretely ask a soldier to cut Link free. He had promised to keep it a secret, seeing the silly little pout cross Link's bright red face.

She spoke from her seat opposite you, you both sitting at a small, intricately carved table in her private quarters - finally having been repaired. The room was simple, but decorated with Hyrule flags, symbols, shelves piled high with books and scrolls, several desks holding contraptions and devices, and of course - a small vase holding a  Silent Princess. Several trays of sweets and cakes had been brought for you after your meal, to which you had thanked the maids profusely. Even Zelda couldn't deny their quiet attitude towards you. You had let out a side, Zelda giving you a sympathetic look, knowing gossip had made its way throughout the kingdom of Hyrule.

But Zelda knew just how to cheer you up, as always.

She spent a while chatting about this and that, talking at you more than anything. Your mind had already begun to wander the moment you had left Link's side, imagining the wonderful things you could do together, now that you didn't feel such a barrier between you. You still worried about his initial refusal, however. He had suggested the Yiga would use one of you to get to the other, as a bargaining chip, as a trade for power. You knew it was just his anxious thoughts coming through, and that you could prevent all of that with a little changing, but it still pulled the corners of your mouth down into a frown.

"Y/n? what the matter? You seem distant." Zelda furrowed her brow, popping small, round chocolate into her mouth.

You shook your head. "Sorry, Zelda."

"Thought you would be ecstatic after your confessions? Or are you so lost in your feelings you can't possibly concentrate!" She pulled her hands together beneath her chin, batting her eyelids mockingly.

Laughter filled the room for a moment before you turned back to answer. "No, I am very happy. I can't really believe it."

"But?"

You took a moment to piece together your words. "Link worries the Yiga strangers may know of us, and try to use one of us against you, against Hyrule."

You watched Zelda's face harden slightly, weeks of sleepless nights tumbling back into her expression. "Right, of course. They overheard didn't they..."

The room was silent for a moment.

"Does this bother you?"

"Yes, I'm not so much the fact that they may try to take one of us, I don't think I'd let them." Zelda raised an eyebrow at your defensive words. "But, the fact still made Link reluctant to show affection."

"Oh that boy, like he wasn't being obvious beforehand." Zelda leant backwards in her chair to reach for a book nearby. She scribbled a few notes down as she spoke. "Well, if he is worried, I am not going to let it get in anyone's way."

You pulled your eyebrows together with a questioning look. "What?"

"You are both to set out to Goron City. We have had no sightings for a few days but there have been reports of young Hylians being taken from stables."

Your face went blank, white as a sheet. "Like those sent to Rito Village?"

Zelda nodded. "You and Link can pay a visit, try figure out an answer. But I will send a few guards along with you, seeing as Link is so worried you may be attacked."

"Oh, but I can handle myself..."

"I know, but you are only going to have a week until you leave. Only a week to practice. I know you have become a strong soldier, but these powers seem to take over you on occasion."

Your gut tensed at her words, you certainly hated losing control. You couldn't bear the thought of hurting anyone without realising.

"Just in case, and to put Link's mind at ease. You know as much as anyone he needs as little stress as possible." Zelda snapped her book shut and returned it to its place, before turning back and shoving a plate of chocolate in your face.

"Now, enough work, eat! Tell me about you and Link on your adventure? I want to hear ALL the details."

 

Later that night you returned to your room, cheeks aching from laughing and blushing at Zelda's jokes. Your stomach ached, full of sweetness that it wasn't used to, but it felt good. You wandered through the door into your bedroom and flopped onto the soft mattress. You shoved your grinning face into your pillow, heart filled with happiness and fluttering at every thought of Link's smiling face and wonderful blue eyes.

You rolled over, giggling in delight at nothing. You stepped towards your bags, which you had yet to unpack after your mix up with Link's bags. You rummaged in your backpack for a moment, trying to find the small pink book Zelda had lent you.

But it was gone.

And there was only one person who could have found it. So Link had been through your things? I mean you didn't mind, several times on your journey to Gerudo Town and Rito Village you had gone into his own bags to find flint for fires or food and snacks, it wasn't really a boundary at this point. But it still made you a little uncomfortable.

A deep blush crept over your face. Had he read it? He would know you read it too? Known what you knew, seen what you had seen, would he know you touched yourself...

No, there's no way he could figure that out. It was just for your education, that's all he would think - oblivious to the sexual fantasies that involved you, him and various positions drawn onto the book's pages.

What if he felt the same when he read it? Would he feel the same rush of heat between his legs as you did, ache growing stronger until the touch of a had relieved all of the broiling pressure, waves of pleasure coursing up his spine and chest. You swallowed hard, screwing your eyes shut, jumping away from your bags, shaking your head. You slowly got ready for bed, your mind wandering once again,

 

A few days later, Link was given a strong healing potion that had finally finished brewing. After a long period of sleep, during which you tried your best to stay awake, sat at his side, he woke suddenly, slowly stepping out of bed. He grinned at you the whole time, stealing long glances even while the healers ran through a few checks. Once he was deemed fit and healthy he stepped towards you and took your hands, placing his forehead against yours.

"Feeling better?"

"Much better."

You smiled brightly, Links eyes dragging over your lips. You had decided not to bring up the book just yet, not wanting to embarrass Link but also because the subject of sex you thought would be brought up a little soon. Not that you would turn it down, but you didn't want to push anything onto the wonderful Hylian before you.

"Would have been a lot worse without you." Your heart dropped just a little, as Link pulled away from you, taking your arm and leading you from the old hospital wing.

You let yourself lean a little further into Link, enjoying the increased affection from him. You imagined he was holding a barrier between you as well, not wanting to upset you or hurt you or whatever other reason. You didn't care, you were just glad he was holding you so closely. Even if it did have your heart hammering and head spinning.

You turned a corner to find the corridor filled with a small cluster of maids and two soldiers, whispering and chattering under their breath. One noticed you and they all turned to glare at you both in surprise. You both stopped, Link feeling like he was being confronted. The maids exchanged glances before leaving the soldiers at their posts, wandering past the pair of you, sniggering.

You felt a heavy lump form in your throat, gut-twisting as you realised they must have been talking about you. Most of them you didn't recognise, but one of the soldiers caught your gaze before turning away quickly - You had trained with him, though he was a friend. Your heart sank. You looked up at Link, who help a deep scowl.

He led you onwards, Link's chin held a little higher than usual as you passed the soldiers. You both were silent until you reached Link's room. You hadn't realised this is where you were being led. Your heart began to race again, not sure what it meant.

"Bastards, I'm sorry about that. They must have heard all the gossip... Bastards." He pushed to door open and you sheepishly followed him in, swallowing. You stood just in front of the door as Link wandered into his bathroom. You didn't know what to do with yourself.

After a long awkward moment, Link lent back through the doorway. "Sorry, make yourself at home, please. Sit down, rest, read a book if you like. I just want to get cleaned up." His voice trailed off as the door closed once again behind him.

You relaxed a little. Settling into the chair by the fire, as you had done after the first attack on Castle Town, waiting for Link to awake. It seems he was getting injured a lot more than he used to. You tried not to let your mind tell you it was your fault.

You lent over to pluck a book from the small shelf stood next to the chair. It was about the history of the Royal Guard, including legendary names and acts of soldiers in the past. Some had slain beasts, some won wars, some kept a whole village alive during an attack single-handedly. It was full of bravery, but you wondered how much sadness these soldiers had held in the aftermath. 

 

Link stood over the shallow sink he had filled with water, having already removed most of his clothing. He took a washcloth and plunged it into the water, before dragging it over his skin. He felt a lot better afterwards, having felt a little dirty after being stuck in bed for days. He got dressed into a fresh set of clothing, also donning the pale blue tunic he favoured so dearly. Then he returned to you in the other room. 

He found you curled up in the large armchair by the fire, eyes flickering over words on the pages of the book you were reading, not looking up or not noticed him return. You looked so peaceful, so precious, and you had given all of it to him. He let himself indulge in a few fleeting moments of watching you, lent against the wall next to the bathroom door.

You caught his eyes as he shuffled and a deep blush washed over your cheeks.

"Oh, uh sorry I didn't realise..." You shut the book and uncurled yourself.

"No, no carry on if you want to. You looked happy." Link smiled slightly and you noted a soft pink blush on his own face, the tips of his pointed ears also turning a shade darker. He moved to stand in front of you, leaning one arm on the back of the chair and bending forward, his eyes almost level with your own. He placed a hand on the cover of the book to see the title.

"Oh, I used to love reading this when I was a kid."

He was so close, his face radiating heat, you felt his breath hit your skin and the smell of soap and freshly cleaned cloth filled your lungs. It was all Link folded into one, tiny moment. It was wonderful, but why had it always felt so forbidden until now?

Why had this taken so long?

 

You had then left Link's room, finding your way to the dining hall in time for lunch. You were both handed a bowl of soup and a basket of bread rolls, sitting alone on a smaller table. Link was possessive the moment he caught sight of one of the maids from earlier - an arm around your shoulders and a stern glare at anyone stepping to close. It was thrilling and embarrassing at the same time.

"Y/N!"

Your head whipped around as you recognised the voice - Dathahl, Head of the Royal guard stood in training gear behind you. You stood quickly to attention.

"Zelda has requested extra training for both yourself and Link before you leave in a few days. I want you both at the training grounds in 15 minutes. Yes?"

"Yes!" You nodded. Dathahl turned away and left the room. You turned to beam at Link, somewhat excited to begin training.

 

Though by the end of the day every fibre of you ached, and your head was twisted in pain from such concentration. Dathahl had you not only doing physical training, that you were more than used to, but also using your powers. You lifted various objects of increasing size, testing the limits of your weightless touch. They had you searching for objects hidden in boxes using your sight, and you had even managed to draw a flicker of power from the impact of a kick to your body during hand - to hand training, sending poor Link flying backwards. Dathtahl had you deflecting small rocks and sandbags instead after that.

Being able to use one of your powers in a new way like that felt wonderful, empowering, and Link could see how it was affecting you. He cheered you on, praising every move, helping with every little thing that got in your way, all while taking on his own training. He shot arrow after arrow, targets splitting from repeated bullseyes and arrows splintering one another. He wielded a sword well too, though you could tell archery was his preferred skill when he had a bow with him.

At that moment though, you both wandered down the halls to your room, Link practically propping you up while guiding you back. You giggled as you stumbled slightly, your legs growing tired.

"Thank you, Link. Today was fun... but painful." You winced as you stretched out your arms before you. 

"It was fun, though. You're already getting better." Link had threaded his hand into your own at some point, and he pulled himself a little closer to you, placing a small kiss on your forehead.

Your heart soared, beating rapidly as your face flushed red once again.

"Goodnight, y/n." And he slowly turned to leave.

 


	43. It's been a while

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YO  
> exams are all done, I'm home for the summer now, and I am doing my best to bring regular updates. MUCH LOVE,  
> This chapter is a little bit of a plot filler, but still has lots of mushy mushy fluff for you to enjoy.  
> <3

That night Link could hardly sleep. It had been a strange few days, to say the least. On the one hand, there was you – beautiful, wonderful and full of bright light and power that drew him in like nothing else. And then there was the rest of the world.

Fearful, jealous, dark and bitter towards people like you and Link, scared of the light you had shown them, scared of their chosen destiny and power. When neither Link, nor yourself or Zelda ever asked for such things. None of you had any intention of causing harm.

Yet he had, to you and to many others. Perhaps those people did have a reason to hate him, to throw shaded glances in his directions, to scowl at his scars and tired eyes, voice their disgust. Link pushed the thoughts away, knowing that if you were by his side right now, you would tell him just the opposite.

There are people who love you, Link. People who look up to you and Zelda, and who trust you, help you and have helped you heal. Why would they do that if they despised you so? Link forced the words to play into his mind, something he had slowly been learning to do. He had friends, allies, and now a lover.

His heart rose in his chest, and he let a deep sigh escape him into the dark air of his cold room. Butterflies filled his stomach for what seemed like the hundredth time just today, just by revisiting the memory of that smile.

He had wanted to kiss it before he left you, wandering away so slowly as he struggled to keep himself from running back to pull you into him. Even in the back of his mind, he had wondered if you would have pushed him away had he pushed you into your room and against the door, he would close behind you.

Link raised an arm to rub his eyes, anxiety rising once again as he dismissed the thought. He had been nervous of such thoughts before because he never imagined you would feel the same way, let alone understand your feelings while still being so new to the world. But now, he couldn’t tell what was holding him back.

Before the calamity, before his training because more intense and his focus was contained within study and sword practice, there were one or two partners of his. They weren’t at all serious, more like short episodes of curious lust, little affection involved. Hylian culture had never looked down on such a thing, knowing how to have sex safely and with respect for your partner was more important than who it was with or why.

Link had therefore learnt the difference between sex and making love somewhat early in his life, especially considering the 100-year blank space in his timeline. Sex had been nothing more than the feeling, he imagined making love to involve a deep connection, warm and sparkling and thrilling, and he wanted it for you.

He wanted to watch you tense up with pleasure, make your back arch from the bed and say his name, just like you had back in Gerudo Town. Link bit his lip at the memory, realising only now exactly how invested in him you had been. Goddesses what an idiot he was, for even questioning, for leaving, for fearing.

But he did fear it, still. Before the 100 years, before the calamity, before the years of blank sorrow and numbness that left him in the dark, he had lost almost everything. His friends, family, fellow champions; Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, Daruk – Their names left a harsh stabbing pain in his head.

They had trusted him, loved him, and he had felt the same. But his failure had cost them their lives, and while each had forgiven him in their own way, the cavity in his chest took its time filling. He couldn’t handle too much more – if he lost you it would end him.

And now the heavy weight of this new threat in the world pulled him further into this fear, it was what had held him in such hesitation when you confessed to him. He thought you were alone with him under that tree, about to pour his heart out to you in such a wonderful moment. When interrupted, he had to rethink the whole thing.

Knowing he had almost hurt you again was painful enough – a spark of panic flickered in the back of his mind. You still had the scar over your throat, a reminder that he couldn’t forget. He was so frustrated with the amount of guilt and regrets he held onto, unable to let them go, unable to enjoy you and your endless patience and softness.

His head was spinning as his thoughts and emotions flipped this way and that, stirring and whirling against each other. It all wound up into more guilt, knowing he should be happy now you belonged to each other – but no, he was still twisted into a mound of self-hatred.

He had come a long way, he knew that, but it still wasn’t enough. Not enough for you, to keep you safe and happy, and now Link knew he just had to keep going, had to keep healing and keep fighting, for you. Always for you.

He finally fell asleep, late in the evening, his heart filled with determination.

 

* * *

Several days later, you woke early in the morning, chest filled with fluttering joy as you got ready for your morning training session. The last few days you had progressed beyond anyone’s expectations, having full control over your sight, strength and could now pull small amounts of energy from natural objects like trees and plants. While it did leave the plant lifeless and dry, it gave you a minute or two of the flittering, blurred movement you had gained after absorbing the energy of the bomb.

Zelda and Purah had watched for the long hours of your training, scribbling notes and working on theories. Your sheikahtahl essence meant you could channel energy through yourself and both hold it and move it. Link’s sword remained quietly humming with energy, awaiting the journey back to Gerudo Town.

Zelda had hesitated on this though, hoping the strange new form of the Yiga clan could be dispersed before restoring Vah Naboris, removing any possible chance of them gaining a new weapon.

You opened your door to see Link walking down the hall, on his way to meet you as he had done the last few days. He smiled on seeing you, and you practically skipped towards him. His arm slid around your waist gently and you both turned towards the barracks.

“Did you sleep well?” You peered up at him, watching him rub the sleep from his eyes.

“Not bad actually, yourself?” He replied, and you nodded. As you turned the corner however, his face fell, and he glanced over your shoulder.

You glanced around the corner and found a now common sight – a small group of maids chattering to themselves and hushing when the caught sight of you. Link did not stop, just pushed through the small group as they dispersed, pulling you close to him.

You were silent until you reached the large, neatly kept open field that was a part of the training grounds. You sighed, kicking a stump of grass at the edge of the stonework. Zelda had done her best to disperse the gossip on you and Link, but she had been busy preparing for your journey, and rightly so. It had been decided you should investigate the sightings near various eastern villages, and missing persons – which had all but skyrocketed in the last few weeks, all over Hyrule.

There was a lot to think about, and it wasn’t becoming more and more difficult to focus on your abilities during training. Link was helpful, as always – encouraging and constant, rewarding you with soft kisses to your cheeks and warm hugs under the stars of an evening, hidden away up in the ruined sections of the castle.

You were due to leave this afternoon, so your training was all the more intense. Link had retrieved his Sheikah slate from Purah and the other researchers and was able to use the powers it gave him for the first time in many years. He had no need of it until now, so had left it in Zelda’s trusting hands.

With Link’s ability to conjure bombs and move obstacles, you had overcome intricate courses and puzzles, while Link could pull energy from the slate and hand it off to you to absorb. You were reluctant to use this idea, as the more power you absorbed, the less control you seemed to have. But it could be used in emergencies.

Link could also pull metal items, pause items in time and pull ice from bodies of water. He was incredible, and it was during those training sessions you started to see the true Hero of Hyrule – strong and smart and quick, nothing like yourself. You worked wonderfully as a team, however.

 

You landed firmly on your feet and caught a large boulder Link had propelled your way, using his time-stopping ability and a large hammer. You focused on the wall surrounding the barracks, looking through it to see the hole dug in the earth outside the boundary. You used both hands to push the large stone through the air, watching it land, and roll into the hole.

You had all had become creative when it came to this kind of training, as it had never been done before. You had nailed every challenge. You shot a grin over to Link, who looked back at you with determination.

You were ready.


	44. Once again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know I said my updates would be more regular now I'm done with school, and I am trying, but it's still gone out the window hahaha! I've also been having MAJOR writer's block at the moment, so if any of yall have advice for that, I would really appreciate that.  
> Anyways, please enjoy. I know you will.

Link had been anticipating the journey for some time, and watching you pull off quite a stunt that morning in the training grounds of the castle, had sent a spark of thrilling energy through him. He hadn't felt excited for much in a long time, hadn't felt prepared or even the slightest bit confident in his plans. Now, he felt you and himself had fallen into place, working together like a well-oiled machine. The energy flowing through your body and his own, back and forth over the heads of enemies and overpowering the lot of them. It was the kind of thrill he once felt while training and fighting out in the wilds of Hyrule.

But there was more to it. The last journey the two of you had taken together had pulled you apart then back together again, this way and that while the world changed around you. Now, having finally had the courage to pull you closer, he didn't want to stop. 

Though neither of you had pushed your relationship any further than soft touches, gently kisses to the cheek and forehead, Link often went to bed each night with heart aching, wishing he had said or done more. On several occasions, though he wouldn't have told you, your training sessions had left him hot, the air growing heavy and trousers uncomfortable. It was usually after the more intimate practices - the one on one combats that had you pinning each other to the ground, pressed close together and hands lingering where they shouldn't.

You were oblivious to it, still exploring your own feelings of desire and attraction. The training sessions usually had you exhausted, but you had enjoyed the quiet evenings wandering the gardens together, laughing, chatting and revelling in the feeling of Link holding his arm around you. He still sent sparks through your body, and on several occasions, you felt like pulling his lips to your own, the urge growing as he held your face in his hands, eyes gleaming as you've never seen it before.

But of course, you couldn't. Link was growing, building himself up, and had done wonderfully so, but you couldn't pull it all away just for yourself. You promised to wait for him to begin... well, initiating something. It was a beautiful feeling, love, but it was also torturous. Watching his muscles straining in the training sessions, a light sheen of sweat on his back, smirking down at you as he once again overpowered you and pinned you to the ground. It was confusing and almost painful, but you wouldn't change it for the world, not without Link's permission.

Link had been looking forward to travelling east, not only to spend time alone with you but to give him an opportunity while you were alone, to finally pull you closer to him. He wanted to make the memory perfect for you - perhaps stargazing, midnight swimming in a moonlit lake, something beautiful. All so he could watch your face light up, the same way it did when you saw something new, something interesting. 

He wanted to kiss you, to hold you against him, make you feel pleasure in a way you never had before.

He knew you might deny him, but knowing the time would be spent with you was more than good enough. 

 

Link chuckled to himself, as he wandered down the hall to the entryway. He was normally more reserved when it came to his feelings, even before the Calamity itself. But when it came to you, he melted into a pile of mush - read you poetry and write love letters and show off like a man with a mind made of fluff. He grinned to himself as he pictured your face once again, rounding the corner and finding himself in the castle entryway.

He looked up, grinning wide, catching your eye from where you stood to wait for him in the doorway. You smiled warmly at his goofy looking smirk. The confidence he had held was suddenly cracking and crumbling,

"You seem happy," You stepped towards him and he pulled you into a quick hug, kissing your head lightly.

Link stepped back, you noticed his eyes were a little more intense than normal. He swallowed hard, as his hands lowered, tracing the curve of your spine and coming to rest on your hips. Your breath hitched a little, and you glanced around quickly for bystanders. Luckily, the guards that usually stood post here were helping with the horses outside the door. 

"All because of you, y/n." His voice was low, his face leaning in towards your own. This whole situation had caught you entirely off guard, and nothing could have stopped you from biting down on your lip a little. Link's eyes dragged over the image before him, his breath growing shaky. "I'm looking forward to some time to ourselves." As he spoke, he leant in to kiss the bare flesh just below your ear, before pulling away, smirking. His confidence somewhat restored at gaining such a reaction from you.

He turned toward to door, and before your foggy mind to stop him, he was outside and walking towards Zelda and a group of five horses.

"Five?"

"Oh, yes." You caught up to the Hylian, breath still shaky and heart hammering in your chest. The shocking arousal that Link's words had caused falling away as you saw his face. "I told Zelda you were worried about them using us against the safety of Hyrule... so she assigned guards."

"Hylia..." Link huffed and rubbed his eyes. The of the Royal Guard soldiers stood in light armour beside the extra horses just down the pathway. Zelda stood between two guards, Purah beside them holding the slate in her hands - likely making last minute updates.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think we were... or you would..." You swallowed, not really sure what Link had intended for this trip.

"No, it's alright." Link turned to you again. "We need to move quickly and the mission is more important anyway." He started walking down to the group of people.

"I'm sure we will get a little time." You smiled as you caught sight of Zelda, who waved in your direction before you did the same. Link sighed again. You may get a few hours on the journey, but by the Goddesses, once this was all over he would show you all of Hyrule and more. He felt defeated, a little guilty that he couldn't give you more time, but determined to see this through, by your side.

"I really hope so." He sounded genuine but also a little sad. You caught his gaze along with the small, tentative smile on his lips. 

You lean in, just out of Zelda's earshot. "Maybe we can ditch them?" You gave Link an evil grin and he chuckled.

"Watch Zelda tell them to keep us in their sights at all times." You exchanged one last knowing look before addressing the group.

"Good morning you too! Are you ready?" Zelda looked tired, as always, but thankfully more rested than she had seemed when you last returned. Part of you had hoped working hard in your training would provide her with some confidence and reassurance in the future.

"Yep!" You replied, now a little nervous. Link nodded, and Zelda gestured to the group of horses behind her, dressed in the Royal guard sigils and flag of the Royal family.

"These three will be joining you. This is Johnathan, Gina and Sendal. The Captain tells me they are trusted soldiers and will do all they can to help you during the journey." She turns to address the three soldiers directly. "Do not let them out of your sight."

Link groaned, obviously not used to being babysat. Zelda shot a frustrated glance his way. 

"Don't complain Link, you know this is a good idea." She sounded like a mother scolding a child.

"I know, I know." Link sighed. "I will behave."

You quickly introduced yourselves to the soldiers. Johnathan seemed rather quiet, serious, an obvious leader to the small group. Gina was loud and full of joyful laughter, the kind of person who can make you laugh, but you knew could quickly become annoying. Sendal was lovely, seemingly nothing but kind towards the both of you, promising to help wherever he could.

You said goodbye to Zelda, feeling tears begin to well up behind your eyes. It was a combination of knowing you would not see her for a while, and also knowing she would worry for you, neglecting herself. You made her promise to put herself first, Link doing nothing but the same, as he released her from a gently hug.

"I promise, just promise me you will figure this out." Her words sounded truthful, and the thought had filled you with determination.

You nodded firmly, before climbing onto your horse, taking one last look over the castle and turning away, following closely behind the line of soldiers. You felt nerves build up once again, knowing the last adventure had lead to the discovery of a game-changing element - your powers. But it had also begun a string of rumours of a shadow that could move unnaturally quickly, putting fear and jealousy in the hearts of those living in Hyrule.

You wondered what you would find in the east.


	45. A New Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Few, a little chapter here to quench your story thirst, hopefully, some dramatic story things happening!  
> Please enjoy! and thank you for your patience with these staggered chapters, I'm currently in the process of moving flat and it is a crazy crazy nightmare!  
> Much love <3

Jonathan rode ahead of you all, Sendal and Gina were chatting and laughing away behind you all while Link rode a short distance to your left. His eyes were alert, searching the treelines and rivers you passed, but calm. You rode in silence across the feild, crossing the river at the easternmost border and passing through the shallow valley between two small hills. You then crossed a second bridge, before following the river south along the sheer, rocky face of the giant volcano that towered over all of Hyrule itself. 

You turned your head up to the red, glowing cracks veering down from the top of Death Mountain - well named in your eyes, as the firey smoke crown it held on its head gave it an ominous look. You squinted up to try and pick out the very top when a large, mechanical tail whipped through the surface of the smoke. Vah Rudania slowly turned, smoke billowing around its enormous form, before finally poking its head down from beneath the smoke. 

You watched in awe, grinning widely as the divine beast moved its head once again, scanning the horizon as if looking for something. You wondered if it could sense the dormant state of Vah Naboris. Then, as if sighing, the blue lights that sat in the familiar ancient script dulled for a moment, before glowing brightly again and the beast returned to the crest of the volcano.

"Oh, she's a sight isn't she?" You turned in your seat slightly at Gina's words. She was a large woman, muscles seemed to come naturally to her, as well as height. She had a mess of shocking red hair tied back into a scruffy bun, cheeks red and dusted in freckles. You also noticed a battleaxe at her side, a design you had not seen before that had probably been custom made. She grinned at you while nodding in the direction of the mountain.

You nodded. "I never got to see Vah Medoh move around like that. and Vah Naboris..." You looked back up at the mountain, a flash of guilt washed through you. "They really are wonderful."

"What makes you think it's a she, anyway?" Sendal had one eyebrow raised, giving Gina a quizzical look. "Aren't the just machines?"

"No way something that powerful ain't a woman!" Gina grinned and slapped her chest, laughing heartily. You smiled, turning to find Link watching you with a grin too.

"They are more than just machines, for sure." Link said, looking up at the mountain wistfully. "But I don't believe they care for gender. There's definitely something there though, spirit or a mind perhaps."

"Fascinating." Sendal sped up slightly and caught up with yourself and Link, now riding between you. "You've been inside them, right? What's it like?"

Link made an awkward face, seeing how eager the young man was to learn about the divine beasts when he himself knew very little as it was. He did his best to explain what he knew, and you couldn't help but giggle as Sendal came out with question after question. Link had always hated people asking about his work as the Chosen Hero, as it brought back a lot of issues. Eventually, the young soldier lost interest and you watched Link give a sigh of relief.

The sun was just beginning to lower itself in the sky, bathing the side of the mountain in oranges and reds. You turned to look ahead to were Johnathan was riding alone, quite but seemingly content. Gina came up beside you and noticed your gaze.

"Quite the handsome one, eh?"

"Oh, umm..." You hadn't really considered it. "I suppose. He's very quiet."

"Nah, doesn't talk much, does John. But he's a good man. He's probably the most experienced of us all and a real gentleman." You tried to ignore the eyebrows she wiggled at you, but she still caught the face you made - nose scrunched up and eyebrows pulled together. 

Gina let out another chuckle. "Nah, John has seen a lot for his age - apparently used to be louder than me! But being a soldier can..." She sighed. "Well, I'm sure Link has told you. It can change you."

You looked back towards Link for a moment, who was once again peering over your surroundings. You wondered if he did that so often when he first became a soldier. You turned back to Gina. You knew Link had a bigger role to fill, for the whole of Hyrule, but why would someone become a soldier? You had trained to help Link fight the new Yiga, but what else was there to do?

"Why do it then?" You asked quietly. "If there is such a price to it?"

"It's different for everyone really." Gina was quiet for a moment, looking down at the reins in her hands. "Sendal lost a lot of his family to a bokoblin attack when he was young, he signed up after his grandmother passed away. She had practically raised the boy after they were left alone. He wanted to help protect other families."

Gina continued. "Myself, well that was almost an accident. Was born into a family of traders - my mum used to sell arrows, all kinds of em, and bows, beautiful they were. We used to travel here and there, I'd help out. But for a long time, the markets would be raided by hungry bokoblins, would leave us penniless." 

You were still watching Johnathan ahead of you, it seemed he and Link had spotted something in the trees nearby and were watching carefully. Gina continued, seemingly unaware. "I trained hard, and eventually was employed by various traders guilds to keep them away. Paid well, bought a nice place for my mum. A scout found me eventually, offered me even more money to become a soldier."

Johnathan had stopped and stilled, you pulled on your reins and both you and Gina came to a stop. 

"So I thought, why not? Right? Might be a laugh." Gina was being too loud.

You patted her shoulder and pointed towards Johnathan and Link, who were now on their feet, both with bows drawn and low to the ground, stalking something within the forest. Gina turned to Sendal who was also watching carefully while reaching for a longsword on his belt. Gina placed a firm hand on her battle axe and waited as the two vanished into the foliage.

You trusted Link's abilities, beyond anything, but that still did not stop the fear building in your chest, squeezing your stomach as it flipped this way an that. You gently got down from your horse and stepped towards the treeline.

"Y/n!" Sendal said in a hushed voice. "Stop! hang on... we don't know..."

You closed your eyes, focusing, and when you opened them again, your vision changed. You could now see through many of the objects before you, two blue glowing shapes outlined Johnathan and Link, about a minute's walk into the trees. You tried to look further, but there were too many shapes overlapping.

"This way." You said, stepping into the foliage. You heard a scuffle before the two soldiers stepped in afterwards, low to the ground and almost silent.

"Why didn't they say anything?" Gina whispered in a harsh tone. 

"I don't know, they just left," Sendal replied. "Strange..."

You pushed on, slowly, the shapes growing larger. Though you started to detect a few more people, as a small cluster of shapes appeared within your vision. Link and Johnathan seemed to be watching them from the trees.

You let your normal vision come back into focus and the darkness of the forest faded back in front of you. You caught sight of Link a few feet ahead and stepped forward to place a hand on his shoulder.

On contact, you knew something was wrong, he felt wrong, like the energy the bombs had given off, the Yiga themselves. He whipped around, eyes blank, and grasped onto your wrist. You instinctively drew the dark energy from him, pulling it into your other fist, to be discharged later. 

Link let out a deep breath he seemed to have been holding. Eyes blinking rapidly, he peers up at you and at his surroundings. "Where...?"

"Ahh! Stop!" 

You turned, Johnathan had a dagger in his hand and against Gina's throat, having caught her off guard. You took your hand from Link and pulled on the darkness that had settled over his mind as well. His eyes lost their glazed over quality, and he quickly retracted from Gina.

"Goddesses... I'm sorry, I..." His face was dumbstruck.

"What is that..." Sendal leant forward, pointing out into the clearing that the two had been watching. 

Several Hylians and one or two adolescent Goron began to emerge from the trees. Their eyes were blank and empty, walking like puppets into the centre of the clearing. You tried to move forward to help but Link held you back. You shot him a look of disgust.

"I can help them!?" You said under your breath.

"You can, but this might be how people are disappearing." Link's intentions became clear then. You could all follow these people, perhaps even figure out their plan. You all crouch down, burying yourself into hiding within the leaves of bushes and shrubs, settling in and waiting for something to happen.

"Can you see anything?" Link asked.

"Nope," Sendal replied.

"Not you, y/n." Link nudged you, and you blinked a few times as your vision changed, once again showing you the blue shapes within the land around you.

"Why Y/n?" Gina asked.

"She's got some kind of third eye vision and other stuff." He pointed to the blue light coming from your fist, still charged with the energy taken from whatever spell was cast over himself and Johnathan.

"Is that why you and John aren't..." Sendal crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. "y'know, like them? Because y/n fixed it?"

Link nodded.

"Awesome," Gina whispered. "Zelda said you had abilities but no specifics... bad ass."

You squinted hard, trying to further the distance of your sight. You saw movement on the far side of the clearing after a moment, a tall, spindly humanoid creature. You grimaced. 

"There's someone coming, from over there." You pointed across the clearing. "I'm not sure what..."

Sendal and Gina exchanged looks, before shuffling back further into their hiding places. You watched the figure move closer, and then out from the trees came an 8 or 9 foot tall, cloaked Yiga. The tall, pointed hood covered a face in a white mask, the hem of the cloak dragging along the ground and sleeves longer than arms billowed behind them as they moved. It stood silent before the cluster of people, and for a long moment, nothing happened.

Then the people began screaming.

 


	46. Clear Skies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, didn't see you there. Welcome to the endless madness that it this fic, for which I keep on having ideas for, and will probably never end. Please, Enjoy your stay.  
> Liiiiiitttle bit of gore and blood in this, just a warning, also violence

Link flinched; a violent and startling motion that has you moving your body closer to his, a hand on his shoulder. He grabbed your arm, a strong grip had his nails digging into your skin, but he quickly loosened when he felt you near him. You turned to see Sendal and Gina with their hands over their ears, but Johnathan was just staring, watching the group of people unphased.   
They fell to their knees, one or two fell to the floor with blood pouring from their noses. The rest fell silent, looking up at the strange Yiga figure, who seemed to have performed a spell on them. You looked at the scene using your unique vision, finding a deep red glow within both the Yiga and the people. The others had faded to a blank space, you presumed that meant they had died in the process.  
Link was extremely unsteady, your own heart was racing but you could see him battling the urge to run and hide. You tightened your grip on his shoulder until he looked at you, his breathing erratic. You caught his gaze, desperately trying to calm him. You motioned upwards as you breathed in, and he began to mimic your breathing, all the while glancing back and forth between the group of people in the clearing.  
A moment of quiet passed once again.  
"They aren't... what are they doing?" Sendal spoke in a whisper, the whole group still seemingly stunned.  
"It's a spell... I don't know what it did, but... it's in their heads..." You couldn't look away from the blank bodies on the floor, now devoid of all energy, blank eyes staring out into nothing. It was haunting.  
Johnathan was looking around the forest. "Get ready," He pulled an arrow back on his bow. "Whatever they are doing, we can't see it. We need to be ready to go if they move."  
"Aye," Gina pulled her axe up and shuffled forward. Sendal went to move forward too, but tripped, falling face first into a small bush.  
The sound of small branches crackling under his weight caused you all to wince hard and broke all secrecy you had managed to keep. You snapped your gaze back to the Yiga who was now staring right at you.  
The stranger raised a hand to point right to you.  
" _I  s e e  y o u"_

The voice was warped and gravelled, like nails on a chalkboard. You stared into the figure's eyes, frozen in fear as they began to glow with that familiar blood-red light. Link was pulling on your shoulders, almost dragging you away from the group of people, now charging straight towards you. 

You couldn't hear anything. Link was shouting at you, and Gina was screaming as she was trying to shove a Hylian child away from her. The child was rabid, growling and shouting, clawing at Gina's armour. Sendal was shouting for Johnathan who was also stood between Link and another attacker. You could see all their mouths moving but your feet were fixed to the floor.

A heavy force hit your gut, and Link had picked you up and slung you over his shoulder to run. You mind cleared slightly, shaking yourself awake as the figure disappeared into the forest once again, leading the now feral group of people away with it. 

You reached the road where the horses had been left, waiting patiently. Johnathan climbed atop his own quickly, and Link placed you next to yours. Gina and Sendal were also on their steeds, taking orders from their leader.

"Follow me, we can cut them off, corner them." He took off and Sendal followed, Gina hesitated.

"Link, y/n, c'mon now!" She sounded horse, a little of her joyful cheeriness had vanished.

"Y/n?" Link had his hands on yours, looking into your eyes. "Y/n are you with me?" He cupped your face and brought you closer to him.

You nodded. His scent filled your mind and your heart began to slow, the knot in your stomach unravelled. You stole a deep look into his crystal blue eyes, indulging just for a second before he pulled away to climb up onto his horse.

You did the same, your body felt heavy and dull like it was made of wood or stone. You had your horse move forward, trying to catch up to the others. 

You were approaching a small hill, with a cluster of trees on top. Johnathan was leading you around the south side, and if your sense of direction was correct, the group of strange, mind controlled people had gonna around the north side. The path began to narrow, now only fitting two horses next to each other. 

Johnathan was pulling an arrow back in his bow again. Link saw this and began to do the same.

"THERE!"

The tall, cloaked being had just appeared around a sharp corner, flat, rocky walls closing it into the small valley. Now there were a total of 7, blank-faced individuals following them, whose heads suddenly snapped in your direction. Johnathan released an arrow and Link's followed, landing in the shoulder of the Yiga stranger.

" _E e a a  r rrr  aaa gg hh!"_

The screech cut right through you, like a sound you had never heard before. You jumped from your horse, and using the borrowed energy, still held in the palms of your hands, your form sped towards the stranger. You were a blur, anger spurred you towards the red glow of the stranger's eyes, allowing you to hone in on the enemy. Your training had allowed you to manage the levels of energy you contained, preventing you from losing too much focus.

But it wasn't always perfect - The group of young Hylians and Goron where now simply objects in your way. 

You threw a fist into the side of the tall spindly figure, drawing energy from the earth below you and forcing it into the blow. The Yiga slipped to the side and the energy stopped at your fist. You drew it back into a small circular blue shield, glowing, seemingly attached to the back of your forearm. A dark circle of dead grass now stood around your feet, fro which you had taken the power.

The Yiga turned as it dodged, and a flash of silver caught your eyes. You pushed yourself backwards as the blade, grasped tightly in thin, bony fingers, slashed at you several times. Had it not been for your abilities, that would have been too quick to react to. 

You back now against the wall, you took another flurry of attacks by the shield you held, wincing under the force of the attacks. The figure stood back and raised another hand, long fingers stretching out and circling in again, as several small rocks around you were raised into the air. You once again held up your shield, preparing to absorb the energy of moving stones, aimed in your direction. 

The Yiga clenched its fist suddenly, and the stones hurtled towards you like darts. You pulled the shield up, each one hitting the shield in a flash of blue light, and dropping to the floor. You felt more and more energy flooding your veins, vision becoming hazy and concentration dropping. You kept your guard up.

Another pair of arrows hit the Yiga, one bouncing off the side of its mask. With its attention now on someone else, you once again darted forward, jamming the edge of your shield into its face. The mask cracked and it fell back to the ground, you landed next to it as it rolled away, scuttling back the way it came. You gave chase, but it then burst into a bright red light, disappearing as many of the old Yiga members had done. 

You felt the anger return to you, seemingly out of frustration. You released the remaining energy in your body into the ground with a fierce shout. Another area of burnt grass formed at your feet. You turned, jaw clenched and fists tight, to look back at your fellow journeymen. 

Your face fell.

Those following the stranger had been scattered when you had barreled past them. Gina and Sendal had managed to wrestle a few into ropes, while three remained beside Link and Johnathan. The civilians weren't fighting anymore, they were clutching their heads in pain, and those tied were shouting in pain, begging for it to stop.

You stepped forward with a hand out to remove the spell as you had done to Link before. But Gina and Johnathan held their weapons up, flinching as you moved. You paused, eyes darting back and forth between them and the pained civilians.

"Let them." Link stood up to them, his bow in his hands still, arrow notched. Johnathan bared his teeth and stepped away. Gina gave you a fearful and sad look, before cutting the others loose. 

You darted to the three writhing on the floor and drew the dark energy from them, which seemed to be hurting them in some way. You worked quickly, their bodies relaxing as their eyes focused, one by one. Johnathan helped them to their feet.

You moved to the four tied up, which included two young Goron. One had a series of dark bruises and cuts down one side, you glanced at Link, who was staring at you. He didn't seem afraid, but waring of the fact that you had almost zoned out again, dealing damage to an innocent person in the process.

Your attention returned as the screaming grew louder, blood began pouring from their noses. You placed your hands on the two Gorons, pulling the dark magic form them. You hurried to the other two, twisting themselves on the floor. You moved over to the younger of the two, a Hylian boy around 12 years old. You felt guilt stab through your chest. 

"H-hang on..." You were sobbing, not realising you had begun crying. You tried to push him flat on his back, to still him so you could help. He writhed and screamed and looked at you with absolute terror in his eyes.

"Please, I can help!" You cried at him, but his eyes glazed over and his head fell back, his body still.

You stumbled back, turning and falling to your knees beside the last Hylian, you pulled them up only to find them limp and lifeless, eyes rolling back as you moved them. You dropped them suddenly, pushing yourself back into the wall. You buried your face in your knees as you brought them up to your chest. Your stomach was lurching and your mind was blank except the face of the screaming boy as you tried to save him, your trusted soldiers raising their weapons, the deep red of the stranger's eyes.

Link was beside you, and your mind steadied, though he still hesitated when placing a hand on your shoulder. It was heartbreaking.

Everything you had done was to protect Link or to rid Hyrule of the Yiga, that was all that was on your mind in the fight. But you hadn't given a second thought to those in your way. You glanced up at the survivors, now being lead to the side by Sendal and Gina, Johnathan was helping the injured Goron to his feet. You caught his eye for a moment to find fear.

Why were they all afraid of you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIYA!!!!!! <3  
> Pretty proud of this one, not really written a whole lot of combat so I hope the pacing of it is okay. A tiny bit of fluff in there too :D  
> Hope ya'll are having a swell day <3 Much love <3


	47. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:  
> OOPS did I do that?  
> Today's episode:  
> Link is soft
> 
> This one is a little short, but man, i managed to post it on time!! some closure for previous events ft cuddling.

The three guards had decided to make camp a little way south of where the fight had taken place, on the south-east edge of the pond next to the road. Sendal and Gina were silent, Johnathan murmured instructions as they built a small fire, handing out their rations to the other civilians you had rescued and tended to their wounds. You had found a spot under a small tree to the side, as to not frighten the group of strangers.

You held a hot bowl of soup in your hands, staring down into the contents. Your mind was swirling, flickering back and forth between guilt, fear and sadness. The looked up to the Goron you had injured, and he was chatting in a low voice to Gina. You caught his gaze for a moment and smiled, albeit a little forced. He looked to the floor nervously, glancing back at you only for a moment.

You looked back down into your soup. The others had explained the situation to the civilians and tomorrow you would all take them to the nearest stable. The Gorons could make their way home from there, and the Hylians had come from the few newer villages that had been built in the area. 

The bodies had been wrapped in spare cloaks, gently placed to the side to be taken back to their homes. Luckily those who survived knew those who had passed when the spell was cast and before you could save them. You closed your eyes and took in a deep breath, keeping an overwhelming sense of dread from rolling our your body.

You clenched your teeth, grinding them together in frustration. You were so angry at yourself for not being more careful, but at the same time, shouldn't you be proud of yourself for saving those people? 

You shook your head and let out another breath. No matter what you had done those people would still be afraid of you. Evan Link, who was the person closest to you in the world, feared you after you first showed your powers. And then, you hadn't hurt anyone, what would he think now?

You hadn't spoken to him since he left you in your spot to help with camp. He didn't wear the same shocked, hollow face he had done back then, in Rito Village. But he was still wary, you could tell. What if he was scared of you like the others? What if the others didn't want to be around you? What if the told Zelda you were dangerous? What if you made Link look bad?

If you hurt the civilians, could you, without realising, hurt Link too?

The small ceramic bowl in your hands cracked and shattered, a large piece sliding over your palm in a deep cut. You let out a shocked cry, though it didn't hurt that much.

Link hurried over with a worried look on his face. 

"Y/n?" He knelt before you, gently pulling your hand out, which was now bleeding, trickling into the crevasses in your palm. You let out a deep sigh.

"Sorry, Link... I just..." You rubbed your eyes with your other hands. "I hurt them... I didn't even think about it, I just... They hurt you and I wouldn't... I shouldn't have..."

Link placed a hand on the side of your face and leant his forehead against yours. "Y/n, please don't blame yourself. None of us knew what was going on, and you did the best you could, I know that." He let out a small smile and placed a kiss on your nose.

"Promise? I feel like I did something wrong..."

Link leant back while talking, pulling a rag and bandages from his pouch, along with a small vile of salve. He set to work dressing your cut with tentative care, a gentleness that came with deep affection.

"Even if you did, we all make mistakes. We went into that fight blind, we went on this journey blind. We could have stopped it all if we attacked before the people were, well I suppose hypnotised." He paused for a moment. "If it weren't for you, Johnathan and I would still be..."

You nodded. There were so many things that could have gone worse. And not everything that went wrong was your fault. Link fastened the bandage around your hand and you fan your fingers over the cloth.

"The others were against us, whether they wanted to be or not. We talked to some of them, it was..." Link shook his head. "Honestly I don't think you need to know right now. I want you to rest."

You nodded silently again, Link placed a kiss on the top of your head. He picked up the broken pieces of the bowl, returning them the saddle bag, now sat nearer to the campfire. He returned shortly and sat beside you, an arm around your shoulders. You lent into his chest and brought your knees up to your chin, curling into his arms.

Link sighed as he felt you relax. He was exhausted. He had feared for you immensely, watching you fight the strange, spider-like Yiga. Every second had brought him closer to an overload of panic. It was strange, actually, normally during a fight or training, he could zone out his fear easily. He would switch into a perfect soldier's mindset. But since Ganon and those few years spent alone in the dark, the fear and panic sets in through great waves, drowning him before he could even start swimming.

His hands run through your hair as you drifted away, watching your eyes grow weary and flutter closed, calm and content, knowing he would keep you safe. Link smiled to himself. He looked around now and again, keeping an eye on the civilians as the guards took shifts keeping watch. Once he was sure there were no threats, he lay his head back against the tree and let his eyes shut. 


	48. Time Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYS.  
> I want to apologise for having to put this to one side, but life has been CRAZY BUSY lately. Thank you to those who left nice messages, I really appreciate it. After moving house, sorting bills, sorting out car repairs and work, free time became a little short, hence the delay.  
> Also, can you believe we are at almost 700 Kudos????? That's almost 700 people who have read this story and enjoyed it. I cannot actually believe it. 71 people have bookmarked!!! not to mention the 11,000 + Hits! You are all so wonderful, and it all those regular comments and climbing numbers that make this worth doing, and make me feel like my ideas are loved!  
> Anyways, please enjoy this one, gonna try to make it a little longer than usual, you are welcome ;)

You woke to the sounds of loud chatter and laughter early in the morning. You turned your head gently, to find Link still sleeping quietly beside you, with one arm still on your shoulder. You turned back to the source of the noise - the group of civilians besides the smouldering campfire, collecting themselves while the guards readied the horses. They all looked well-rested, despite what had happened yesterday. You smiled lightly, watching them for a moment.

You looked down at your hand, still wrapped in bandages after you cut yourself last night. You ran your fingers over the cloth once again. 

Link shifted beside you and pulled you towards him in a state of sleep, and you let out a surprised yelp. You now sat with your back against his chest, between his legs. You felt your heart jump in your chest, as Link wrapped his arms around your waist, squeezing gently.

You could feel the firmness of his muscles, tensing against your skin. You felt your face flush in an instant, made all the worse when Link nuzzled his face into your neck.

"Good morning," He mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Ah, good, good morning," You managed to spit out, your mind a little clouded by the sudden closeness. Your mind was reeling due to such intimacy. 

Link stilled and fell back a little. "Sorry, half asleep... this alright?" He leant around your side to meet your gaze. 

You nodded quickly. "Yeah, feels nice." You hoped he couldn't see how red your face was.

Link chuckled and pulled you back into his arms again. He leant in to whisper into your ear. "You look so cute all flustered," And kissed the shell of your ear, running his nose along your neck. 

You swallowed hard, staring into the grass below, not entirely sure what to do at this moment. You slowly allowed yourself to relax into him, putting your full weight against his chest and let out a sigh when he placed another kiss on your shoulder. You closed your eyes and Link let out a quiet hum, his hands found your own and he laced his fingers between yours, resting them in your lap.

Oh, the things you imagined in those brief few moments of time, your eyes fluttered closed and your head fell back, Link let out a soft chuckle and you felt the vibrations move through your chest. All he had to do was run his hands up from where they lay on your thighs, one further up your leg, one up over your chest. His mouth could open at your neck and run is tongu-

"Link! Y/n! Time to head out!"

You squeaked and sat up quickly. Gina had called you from the small camp, and your head whipped around to see most of the others busy with the horses. You turned against to see Link wearing a huge grin. 

You let out a giggle and shoved his chest. "Not funny..."

Link stood up, pulling you with him. "Good to see you smiling. I missed it." His face grew red as you watched him. He scratched the back of his head, now feeling a little awkward. You pulled him by the hand towards the others.

 

You finished fastening the straps on your horse's bridle and turned to mount your steed. You stopped in your tracks when you noticed the young Goron waiting before you. You stopped dead, nerves building as your eyes scanned the large bruises on his side and salve gently applied to several gashes. You looked away for a moment before taking a deep breath and addressing the child.

"Hey, you alright?" You spoke, trying not to sound to frightened without frightening him aswell.

"Hi. I'm okay." He looked at the bandage on your hand and pointed. "Are you okay?"

You looked at your hand and back at the Goron, covered in injuries and wearing a worried expression. "I'm fine, don't worry about it." You shuffled forward and crouched in front of him. "They took good care of you, huh?"

"Uhuh, They sure did, Gina is really funny. Though when she was sat on her own she seemed real sad. I tried to cheer her up, but she told me to go to bed..."

You couldn't help but smile at that, though you did make a note to speak with Gina later on. You suppose you weren't the only one a little freaked out after yesterday's events. "Well, sleep is important, especially if you are... hurt..." You looked into the ground and clenched your teeth together. "Goddesses, I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry." Your face fell into your hands.

You felt a small pair of hands pulling your own away from your face. "It's alright, it wasn't your fault."

You stuttered at the young one's words. "I-I don't, I hurt you, I-"

"You didn't mean to! You were trying to scare off that bad man!" The Goron threw his arms in the air. "Johnathan told me he was making us do bad things, I don't remember though..."

Your eyes grew wide as he spoke. You placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"But then you came in and got him! Sendal said you were so cool, like super fast and you held him off. Then you came right over and freed people from the mind control! It must have been amazing!" Your heart swelled hearing the lovely things the others had said about you.

A handful of other civilians had stopped to listen to the boy, including a Hylian of about 17, who looked angry, eyes red as if she had been crying. You looked around, a little nervous again. 

"You are like, a new Champion! I mean, my mum never told me about you, but I think you are gonna be just as good as Mr Link!" Another boy joined in.

You giggled again. "Oh, you are too lovely."

"Sendal says there was no way we would have gotten away without you!" A shy looking Hylian girl spoke up.

"Oh, no I'm sure the Soldiers would have rescued you just as well on their own..." you waved your hands in front of you.

"Hey, what's your name!" The young girl stepped forward jumped on his toes. "I'm Baccu!"

"My name is Y/N," You held out a hand, remembering a handshake is polite when meeting someone new, thanks to Zelda.

Baccu shook your hand feverishly and you giggled yet again. You introduced yourself to a few more of the younger children, who each shook your hand. You turned to the older Hylian, who you had noticed before watching you, offering your hand, but they nervously backed away. You sheepishly turned back, returning your attention to your steed.

As the group began to move out, you offered your horse to the Goron, and after helping him up into the saddle, you all set off.

 

After a short while, you noticed the older Hylian girl walking alone, arms wrapped around their shoulders and sniffling as she walked a little way to the right of the group. You offered the reigns of your horse to one of the other civilians - a blonde Hylian, about 20 with a well-cut beard- and slowly made your way over to her. You couldn't have been where you are right now had the people you loved just left you alone, you wouldn't dare leave the girl isolated when she needed a friend.

"Um, Hello, may I walk with you?" You said quietly. The girl gave a quiet nod, avoiding your eyes. You decided to walk in silence for a while, as to not overwhelm her. 

You passed a small cluster of trees, heavy with fruit and surrounded by birds enjoying the treats growing there. You beamed as you watched them play and flit about. You noticed the girl also watching, with a warm fondness in her eyes.

"Do you like birds?" You asked though the nervous expression you received had you backtracking, and decided the Hylian maybe wasn't ready for conversation. "They are beautiful, I wish I knew what they were all called. I think the blue ones are so beautiful."

"Blue sparrows..."

You turned to see a small smile on the girl's face, though she quickly turned to face the floor.

"Oh, wonderful..." You looked back at the cluster as you passed. "What about the ones that look like they wear purple hats?"

The girl smiled again, as you played out the action of putting on a large hat.

"Wood pigeon."

 

Nearby, Link watched from his own steed. You smiled and encouraged the girl to talk, and before long she was openly chatting and back with the main group. Link let out a sigh, seeing the civilians welcome you. He couldn't help but keep watch though, especially as the other soldiers had been so quiet.

Especially as the civilians had forgotten everything.

He had quietly pointed this out to Johnathan during the journey, and he had agreed. Last night, they had all reported seeing loved ones hurt, possessions ruined and homes destroyed, their deepest fears - all while under control of the Yiga. That must have been how they were forced into acting against their will. Yet this morning, none of them seemed phased past tiredness and a few tears.

He had no idea the exact impact of the spell that was used, but it was clearly designed to be forgotten soon after use. Perhaps this is why no one has been able to find any information on the new Yiga clan yet? Do they have the ability to erase minds? Link remained ever cautious.

But he did feel his heart flutter and chest warm, watching you play and talk with the children, and laugh with the other civilians. He realised this was your first time integrating with so many people without him. He felt proud, he knew everyone would love you just as he did. Which made him all the more cautious.

No, that made him jealous.

He shook his head and dispelled the thought, silently renewing his promise to find some time alone later on.

 

It took most of the day to reach the small stable, with you all arriving early afternoon. It was a rather grim arrival, with two bodies draped over one of the horses, and a gaggle of near exhausted people including children. The young Goron and his neighbour, who was still young himself, made their way along the path to their home, promising they would be safe from here on. Link comforted you when you started to worry, remembering the guards had upped patrols in the area recently, and they were bound to find someone soon.

Many of the Hylians came from further a feild. The girl you had talked to, who's name was Raven, came from Kakariko Village. Thankfully, there happened to be a small group of Royal Guards stationed at the stable, who offered to escort them all home. They thanked you all repeatedly, waving goodbye as they left the stable. 

Link and the others sent the next few minutes discussing the plans for the rest of the day. Johnathan and Sendal wanted to push forward, but Link also offered to pay for everyone to spend a night in the stable. You didn't quite feel welcome in the conversation with the soldiers, so stood quietly to the side, lost in thought.

"We could do with the rest, you know that."

"They could be following us, I don't want the people here to be a target."

"They are all targets until we find the base or at least someone to question -"

"What do you think, Y/N?" Gina's voice was strong and abrasive, different from what you were used to. You snapped your attention back to the four faces now waiting for your answer.

"Um, well I don't want to put anyone else in harm's way, but, where exactly are we going next?" You asked.

Johnathan answered. "Well, personally I think we should visit the villages these people came from, see if anything has been seen or heard. Perhaps they will return for more people?"

"That might be a good idea... the Yiga did bring a lot of the civilians near here, so their base, or gathering point must be nearby? That many people can't just go missing and not have somewhere to go. Y'know, not without being completely disintegrated." Sendal spoke quickly.

"Thanks for that." Link jeered. You watched nervously from the corner of your eye, as Gina continued to stare at you. 

"So, Tarry Town is about a day from here, that was one of the settlements reporting missing people, how about it?" Johnathan scratched his chin, stubble building up after a few days travel.

"Sounds good, we could stake out the place. We can follow anyone who is taken, only while it is safe, y/n can free them if things go wrong. But hopefully, they will lead us somewhere useful." Link spoke once again in his strong, controlled soldier's voice.

"Good plan!" Sendal chimed in. "But we won't make it before nightfall will we?"

"How about we rest here for now then? Make a run for it tomorrow?" You said, glancing at Gina, trying your best to smile at her. "We could all use a little extra sleep."

"Agreed." Johnathan stood. "I'll take you up on that offer, Link, if you don't mind."


	49. Maybe now we can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MMM.  
> Link and reader sneak off for some alone time, fucking FINALLY.  
> Floof, a little smoot, and some lovely comforting boyfriend shit.  
> delicious.  
> 700 KUDOS YO!!!

Link left you with the other soldiers to find places for the night, while Johnathan booked the horses into the stables for the night. You watched as the stable hand removed their reigns and saddles and they shook themselves, letting the air get against their skin. You smiled as they all whinnied and chuffed into bowls of oats and hay, excited to have such snacks.

You sat opposite Gina and Sendal at the campfire. Sendal was awkwardly flitting his gaze from you to Gina, staring into the ground in between. Gina was staring at the floor also, unusually quiet. You tried your best not to let your mind sink into fears of them disliking you, but the heavy atmosphere did little to prevent it. You opened your mouth to say something, but no string of words seemed to fit the situation.

You looked up towards Fire mountain, it's tower standing proudly above the uneven landscape below. You couldn't quite see the top of the incline from here, though the sun was beginning to set on the opposite side of the sky, casting a deep red light over the peaks of the many outcroppings of rock. The tower stood out from the many long shadows it created, glowing softly with the familiar blue light of the sheikahtahl's energy.

You turned to look south, where the sun was falling over the horizon. You had walked up through a deep channel in the hills, which you could now see down through to the flatter green fields below, some speckled in meadow flowers. The sky was a wonderful mixture of pinks and oranges, and you just had to smile as you watched the sky.

Johnathan gently lowered himself to sit on the bench beside you.

He chuckled lightly. "I could never quite get used to the colours myself."

You turned to him. "How so?"

He looked out towards the sunset as you listened. "Just the many wonderful colours the sky can be. Like now, the reds and oranges, pinks as well. Then it all but turns on its head and decides on blue, grey and black." He looked down into his lap, speaking quietly now. "I never did find out how it worked..."

Johnathan's face turned down as if he were someplace very far from here. You wondered what exactly the sunset meant to him, but settled for silently watching the sky once again.

"Yeah, it's alright, isn't it? Quite relaxing." Sendal spoke up. He gave you a nervous smile when you looked up, before turning back, messing with the hem of your shirt. Sendal frowned and leaned forward, scratching the back of his head.

"We didn't mean to... uh, make you ... y' know, uncomfortable, yesterday." You turned your head back to him, catching his gaze. "We were frightened and weren't quite sure what... anything... was... Or what you were? And it was all so fast and so confusing... and then you hurt that boy-"

A pained look on your face had him stopping in his tracks.

"No- I -... I'm sorry. You were brave to step in, whatever you were doing, it saved more lives than we could have." He looked down at his worn leather boots. "I'm sorry if you ever thought for a second we hated you for it."

You felt your heart swell at his words. Johnathan clapped a hand on your shoulder and nodded to you. "You're more of a soldier than most I know."

You grinned, a sigh of relief leaving your body. "You are sure I did the right thing?"

Johnathan sighed. "Who knows, but you did the best you could. And that is what matters."

Sendal nodded and looked to Gina, who had been silent the whole time. He elbowed her in the side as if to prompt a response. She glared at him for a moment, before looking up at you, eyes flickering away almost instantly.

"They are right, y' know. I'm sorry too." She kicked at a clump of moss at her feet. "Though being a soldier ain't all you think."

You drew your eyebrows together, glancing at Johnathan, who was almost wincing at the sentiment. 

You looked to the floor. You knew Link had experienced many hardships as the champion. It had left him with a lot of problems - nightmares, unavoidable fear, overwhelming dread and sadness all at once. He was brave beyond belief, but you also knew that he had been told he must be his whole life. He didn't exactly choose.

"Then why become a soldier?" You questioned.

Gina scoffed. "Not every soldier is born blessed by the Goddesses to become some great hero. We don't all get to live in castles and train with the best of the best. Not that I would want to, it sounds exhausting. Though, many of us didn't have the choice either."

"Why not?"

"Well... everyone has their own story."

"Why did you join?" 

Gina swallowed, looking back down into the ground below. Sendal placed a hand on her shoulder in silent comfort.

You glanced between the two. "Gina, you don't have to..."

"No, it's fine." She let out a shaky sigh. "I grew up in Hateno Village. My pa died when I was young, in some bokoblin raid or something, we never got told the details at that age. My little brother and I worked early on, as my ma was sick often. Healers didn't ever figure out why. We picked crops for farmers, ran deliveries, messages, all sorts. I was running supplies up the hill to the lab, as I was leaving in the evening, I looked down the hill and watched 6 moblins crash through the walls of our homes."

Your hands covered your mouth.

"Yeah, was not pretty." She swallowed again, voice wavering. "'Course the first thing I did was run down the hill, straight into my house. I found my ma and got her out, some soldiers dragged us to safety. But my brother..."

She sniffed and blinked back a tear.

"We found him half dead an hour after they had left." Gina grit her teeth, clearly fighting back a lot of emotions. 

"I joined because I was fed up of watching people lose to those monsters."

You sat quietly, taking in the torment and anger that Gina had held in her lifetime. How heavy it must be on her shoulders. Zelda and Link had told you of the monsters that roamed under Ganon's reign, but never did you imagine they could have caused such destruction to a person.

"I also joined because we needed money for a new house." Gina chuckled through sniffles.

You smiled warmly, grateful Gina had shared her story.

"I joined because I got caught stealing pastries, and the other choice was two weeks in jail," Sendal said, grinning dumbly. Gina couldn't help but giggle, her familiar, boisterous chuckle soon breaking through as you joined her.

"Honestly I thought I was getting an easy out." He continued, laughing at himself as well.

"You are such an idiot." Gina was red in the face.

 

Link returned shortly, having booked five of the comfiest beds on offer. He leads you into the stable to the back of the large open room, filled with rows of cots covered in brightly coloured woven blankets and pillows. Right in the corner, was a cluster of larger beds, with sheets and thick woollen blankets. Gina, Sendal and Johnathan took the three to the side, thanking Link with sleepy smiles and flopping down into the squishy mattresses. 

You sighed as you sat back into the blankets and bundled them around you. You rolled over to face Link, who was stretched out on his own bed just to your right. 

"Is it alright? Are you warm enough?" He asked.

"Perfect." You smiled, watching him for a second. 

Link watched you for a moment, contemplating. He sat up and stepped to your bedside, taking a deep breath as he did. His stomach rolled as he leant down to you, realising exactly what he was doing. But oh, had he wanted to kiss that wonderful smile for so long.

You stayed very still as Link brought his face to yours, his forehead touching yours. He paused, looking into your eyes for any kind of hesitation, before oh-so-gently placing his lips against yours.

You heart jumped, though it did so in such joy that it spread warmth over your entire body. For a few moments, you lay floating in nothingness, admiring the warmth of Link's lips, and the way his smile curved against yours. He pulled back, a grin across his reddened cheeks.

"Uh, goodnight." He said, placing another kiss on your forehead.

"Goodnight," You stuttered out. Link slowly pulled himself back to his own bed, and you rolled over quietly to shove your face into your pillow, blushing brighter than you ever had before.

 

* * *

 It took a few moments for your eyes to focus, but eventually, the familiar flower meadow came into view. You sitting, long blades of wild grass tickling your shoulders and petals and leaves at your knees. You plucked a small blue pansy from its place and held it in your palm, studying it.

It was quite sometime before the familiar voice to you. The air was filled with a heavy sense of deliberation as if they were trying to figure out exactly what to say. You sat silently, running your fingers through long blades of grass.

"Young one..."

You looked up from the floor, towards the sky. The voice came from all around, but you had grown used to addressing people as they spoke. You noticed now that the sun was a little lower in the sky than usual as if it were early afternoon.

"You have grown in such a short time." The voice was soft, sympathetic almost. "We see your heart and mind growing with each day."

You smiled.

"You have made many people smile these last days, we thank you for that."

You looked to the floor, bashful. "So many people have done the same for me."

"The Hero? The Reincarnate? They are wonderful guides to yourself. You have grown closer to one in particular, yes?"

You giggled and fell onto your back, closing your eyes. "He is wonderful."

The air changed into something that felt close to pride or joy but quickly fell.

"You have found the dark ones, yes?"

Your smile faded slowly into a straight line, nodding.

"When the Hero defeated Ganon, he destroyed a great deal of his power. But of course, the Calamity had plans. He split his remaining dark essence into 3 portions."

"Three?"

"Yes. They were embedded in the hearts of those who held great hatred for Hyrule. It twisted them, gave them powers. Which is why you came to be. There must be a balance."

You thought for a moment, eyes still closed, basking in the warmth of the sun. A light breeze shifted your hair across your face. "I see."

"You will find them, or they may find you. Do you understand?"

"I do." You nodded affirmatively.

"Do you understand?"

You pulled your eyebrows together. "Yes, I understand?"

" _Do you understand?"_

The voice had changed, skewed and crackling like fire.

" _Do yOu UnderstANd?"_

You opened your eyes. She sky was dark and red smoke rose in plumes across your vision. Fear struck you through the chest and you sat up slowly.

" _Do you - Do you understand? stand? understand? Do YOu UnDERStaND?"_

You lowered your eyes over three silhouettes. To the right, the first Clan member with the white mask and bow and arrows, glowing red and sparking angrily. To the left, a tall, muscular figure, shrouded mostly in shadow but it did little to hide the twisted, mangled and scarred face, or the two broadswords they carried.

"DO Y OU UND ER STAAAANNNDDD?"

Bearing down over you was the tall spindly figure you had only seen yesterday, leaning right into your face. The mask fell away in pieces leaving a large, open maw filled with teeth.

"NO!"

* * *

 

"Y/n, y/n please, it's alright, You're safe."

You opened your eyes to find Link with his hands on your shoulders, leaning over your bed with a worried expression. You realised you had your own hands around his wrists in a vice-like grip. You released them and Link watched as you relaxed into your pillow again. You were sweating, hot and out of breath. 

"Are you alright?" Link asked quietly. You looked around to see many people still asleep in their cots, it must me just passed midnight, You looked back up at Link.

"I think uhh... A nightmare? Not had that... before..." You closed your eyes trying to remember what happened, your mind was reeling and you felt your voice wavering as you spoke. "The Yiga, the archer and the tall one, and another... and they came right too me, there was fire and red smoke and-" Link placed a finger over your lips.

"You don't need to tell me if it upsets you." He cupped your face in his hands, leaning down towards you. You took a deep breath and Link sat on the bed beside you, pulling your face to his.

His eyes flickered from yours down to your lips, as he so very slowly placed his against them. For a long moment, he held you against him, an arm snaking behind you and pressing you closer. Your mind all but shut out the dark images at once, leaving nothing but the pressure of your mouth on his, your chests pressed together.

Link leant back.

"I couldn't sleep much either." He looked over your face before glancing over to the sleeping soldiers. "Shall we go for a walk?"

You looked passed the soldiers yourself.

"We will be back before they even wake." Link murmured in your ear. You turned and grinned up at him to receive a light chuckle. "Zelda would kill us for this."

 

Link took your hand and lead you slowly towards the stable exit. A few guards on patrol, both Hylian and Goron nodded in your direction as you passed. Link pulled you, grinning and giggling as you did, like naughty children. You rounded a small outcropping of rock, arriving at the foot of a shrine. Link helped you step up onto the circular light in front of it, watching the blue light glow and thrum with energy as you did.

Link pulled out his Sheikah Tablet. You knew he rarely liked to use it for much, it reminded him of times he'd rather forget. But nonetheless, he activated a small map, clearly of Hyrule, covered in small blue lights.

"Are you sure you want to do this? It could be dangerous and we are being INCREDIBLY reckless right now?" Link leaned in to whisper to you, a teasing tone in his words.

You grinned and jumped on your toes. "Let's do it!"

"So mischievous, I've taught you all the wrong things." 

"I don't think so! You've taught me lots of good things too. So has Zelda"

Link smiled and scrolled over the map, you were fascinated, watching closely.

"I suppose. Though Zelda did teach you somethings I'm rather curious about."

You looked up at him, eyebrows drew together. Link felt his heart start to hammer, hoping to Hylia that you remain clueless to what he was leaning towards. He still hadn't remembered to give you back the book and wasn't sure how to explain the whole thing.

"How so?"

"Um..." You were staring him down, watching his cheeks light up bright red.

"What is it Link?"

Link wrapped an arm around your waist and pressed his thumb into the screen. "I'll tell you later."

You looked down at your feet as they began to tingle. Your body began to disintegrate into blue wisps, tangling themselves up to your body as Link's did the same. You looked down in shock as your feet, legs and hips disappeared. You looked up at Link again to find him smiling lightly. You felt the tingly reach the top of your chest and squeezed your eyes shut, trusting Link wholeheartedly.

 

Moments later you felt the cool nighttime air disappear only to be replaced by that of a muggier quality. You could smell burning rock and hear gently hissing sounds. You slowly opened your eyes to find yourself surrounded by sandy red stone, standing in tall spires surrounding a large blue pool, steam rising from its surface. It was still dark, though small collections of luminous rocks in the ground held light enough to see the water and several caves the water seemed to trickle from.

You let out a little sigh and stepped forward, forgetting immediately that you had been stood at a shrine. You fell forward and Link threw his arm out to catch you, pulling you back up into his chest.

"Sorry!" You hissed, watching Link's face crack into a small smile, the arm now around your waist pulled you back up. You were so close, you watched the colours of the luminous rock reflect through his eyes. He seemed to get a little lost himself, realising his other arm was sliding up your back.

He looked away for a moment then took your hand again. 

"I thought a dip in the spring water would be nice. This is one of the places I had wanted to show you..." Link stepped towards the edge of the water. "If you want to, that is. It always makes me feel better after a fight."

You looked around as if looking to find someone else. "Where are we?"

"The Goron mined this place out a while ago for the stones. When they reached the springs they had to stop for a while, and just never came back to it. It's a little out of the way for them, anyways." Link let your hand slip from his and he wandered slowly towards a small cave nearby. "No one will see us if that's what you are worried about."

You stepped towards him. "Okay, sounds like fun!"

"Good." Link took your hand, pulling you in once again for a gentle kiss, the kind that catches you off guard and makes your head spin. and dragged you towards the caves again.

You stepped carefully into the cave and watched tentatively as Link began to put his sword and bag down next to the wall. You admired the reflections on the ceiling, the light of the stones shining through the water. 

You looked back to Link to find him removing various layers of clothing. You blushed bright red and tried to look away.

"Oh, I uh, didn't think we would... Oh." You stuttered, now realising that swimming did not always involve clothing. At least, very little.

 

"We don't have to if you don't want to?" Link paused, realising your unease.

You thought for a moment. Swimming nude in the middle of nowhere with Link would be very very wonderful, and you very very much wanted to do it. You just weren't expecting the nude part already. But if Link was comfortable...

"No, it's Okay." You put your hands over your eyes and waited, listening to the rustle of clothing and then the clink of a belt buckle. 

Nothing could have stopped you from peeking through your fingers, to find Link kicking his trousers and undergarments to the floor, bare arse on display. You quickly hid it from your view again. 

You heard a light chuckle and the sound of bare feet on stone, Link pulled your hands away from your eyes.

"You can look if you like."

Link's heart was hammering. He didn't really know what he was doing, but Goddesses had this been a really good last-minute idea. He was nervous letting anyone see his body- coated in scars and past injuries, but you weren't just anyone. He watched your eyes peel open, and he swallowed in anticipation. Would you even like how he looked? What if you did hate the scars?

He let out a shaky breath as your eyes darted over his chest, hesitating over certain areas he knew were particularly ugly looking, then lower to his stomach and-

"Oh..." Your eyes darted away again. "Are you sure... is this okay?"

"Y/n, I trust you, and I love you." You smiled, covering your cheeks and feeling them burning up. "Just tell me if I make you uncomfortable, please. I will stop whatever it is..."

He was beautiful. Yes, he had several large scars, across his chest, abdomen and one particularly rough looking one across his thigh. But his skin sat taught across trained muscle, freckles here and there and dark blonde hair dusted over his chest, legs and in a trail leading down his stomach, surrounding the area just above his cock.

Oh, Goddesses, you were looking at his cock.

You let out another shaky breath and looked up to Link. He licked his lips, waiting patiently. You let out a sigh and swallowed again, realising your mouth was drier than usual.

"You look perfect." You hadn't meant to say those exact words, but you meant them wholeheartedly. Link smiled and blushed, looking to the floor for a moment.

"I'm not sure I see myself that way."

"Well I do." You caught his gaze once again, sending as much love and genuine care into your words as you could. Link smiled at the ground again, looking bashful.

"Thank you." He stepped backwards, turning at the last moment to jump into the illuminated pool.

You giggled and held your arms up as the splash came towards you. Link resurfaced and threw his hair back over his head, out of his face.

Link grinned, folding his arms over the side of the pool and looking up expectantly at you.

"Your turn."


	50. Light in the Night (female reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MHHMMMMM YOU BEEN WAITING YOU THIRSTY BOIS.

"Your turn."

You watched a droplet of water trail over Link's shoulder and into a small pool forming on the stone. You stood about three feet away from where Link was, arms at your sides and lip between your teeth. You stood quiet for a moment, your stomach turning as you realised what you were about to do.

Link leant back a bit. "I won't look if you don't want me to?"

Another moment of silence passed. You looked down at your feet.

Undressing to swim was one thing, easily done. But undressing in front of Link, who so far has seemed so confident in himself, so sure of his body and what it was. You looked up at his eyes, calm and kind, smiling and waiting patiently. 

There was part of you worried about this. But it was slowly drowning in the thought of Link watching you take your clothes off, running his eyes over your own curves and your own skin on show for him, just for Link. You could tease him, slowly draw his attention to your hips, chest, legs, or watch him lose his concentration entirely by revealing everything at once.

But what if he didn't like it?

You swallowed, shaking your head. "I want you to... to look..."

Link bit his lip as his eyes flickered over your hands, reaching for your belt buckle. You turned to the side slightly, pulling the buckle loose and releasing your shirt from its place tucked neatly into your trousers. Your bag was already on the floor, and Link watched you discard your shirt on the floor next to it, your trousers not far behind.

Link looked back up at you, now standing above him in your undergarments - a baggy pair of pants and a pale pink bra, both fitting around your curves. Link let out a shaky breath. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to run his hands over the newly exposed skin. His mind flashed back to your time in the Gerudo desert, wearing next to nothing in the form of the traditional Gerudo clothing. 

Your arms drew over your chest as you felt Link staring, lost in the action of tracing your skin, freckles and small scars making constellations in his mind, pulling every detail together into the perfect memory. He looked away for a moment, realising your hesitation.

"You look..." Another shaky breath. Link swallowed and tried to form words, lost as with a burst of confidence you reached behind you to undo the clasp of your bra. It fell away and joined the other clothes on the floor. Without looking him in the eye, you pushed your underwear down too, legs pinched together and arms across your chest.

"You look perfect."

You looked back up into his eyes, cheeks flush with embarrassment and a lump in your throat. Link was the first person, apart from a healer, to see you in any form of nudity. There was no element of distrust in the idea, you had never considered nakedness as something to be kept a secret, but at this moment you felt like you were giving him everything you were. He had shown you his scars, you would show him your secrets.

Link smiled, soft and warm, eyes fixed to yours.  He held out a hand and nodded towards a slope that sunk down into the water. You took a deep breath, pulled your arms away from your chest, taking Link's outstretched hand.

Link couldn't help but glance down at your chest, undeniably aware of how aroused you must be as you nipples lay hard on your breasts. It was literally breathtaking to watch your body move so slowly towards him, wading into the water until you stood before him, waist-deep, skin red as it reacted to the steam around you, chest rising and falling as you looked into his eyes with such deep want. He was so nervous, so scared to make you leave this moment, so scared to do something you may regret. This had all started as some stupid idea to help you relax, now he was less than a meter away, absolutely naked and  _wanting you like nothing else._

He had to remind himself to breathe.

You weren't in such good shape either. Link was so close, you subconsciously blamed the water current for washing you close to him, though in such a tiny pool you knew there was no such movement. Your eyes took in every detail - the steam pooling as water droplets on his skin, tracing lines down his face and chest as they fell. You listened to his breath grow more ragged, mouth opening a few times as if to try and find something to say, but letting the silence take his words. The air was thick and hot, your body was stiff in anticipation and all you could focus on was how dark his eyes looked and the familiar throb growing between your legs.

It was almost animalistic. The way you were practically circling each other, the rush of arousal holding you at that moment which dragged on in such delicious torture. You couldn't think, time moved past you like it wasn't real, it was all just  _his body, his face, his eyes, him._

He was so close, you could feel his breath, hot against your neck.

He was so close, you felt something brush against your leg.

"Oh," You said, more of a breathy whisper than anything else, but it was enough to pull a reaction from Link, though it wasn't the one you expected.

His body turned rigid and he stilled, his hips pulling back though his face remained in the crook of your neck.

"Gods, I'm sorry... you just..." His voice was strained, quiet and shaking.

You realised that while you had all but let yourself get lost in this, Link was falling into something he was fearful of. You stepped back, only an inch, and put your hands either side of his face.

"Me... me too." You swallowed. His eyes darted back and forth between yours, and now you could see his face twisting in anxiety. You felt your voice trembling, trying to ignore the desperate desire to pull him into you. "Lets just, uh..." You swallowed, trying to focus on words for a moment. "Talk to me, what's on your mind?"

Link was quick to interject. "I want to, I want to so bad." He let his head fall into the crook of your neck. "I want... to make you feel good..."

You let out a sound that was half pleasure half frustration, trying to keep coherent and respective to his words while your mind all but feel away into the thought of  _Link bearing down over you._

"Don't think I don't want to, love," The name had a spark of energy fall through your spine, adding more tightness to the coil in your stomach. You leant your head back, to look up to the ceiling. Link continued. "But I am afraid I may do something to hurt you... or you may regret it afterwards... or I may not be good enough for you or..."

You felt his body shake as he sobbed into your shoulder, and suddenly your entire mentality crashed down into the earth. You pulled his chin up with your hand, his eyes were a little red, tears in his eyes and his lip between his teeth, eyes looking shamefully to the floor. You slipped your arms around his neck and pulled him as close as you could. 

It was a strange sensation, and yes you could still feel his partial erection against your hip but the feeling of skin against skin was so comforting and raw. His chest against yours, his hips slotting into the shape of your own, his arms wrapping around your waist and his grip on your back as he took a deep breath, pulling your comforting scent into his lungs.

You had all but forgotten how delicate the Hero was, and you would be lying if you felt a spark of guilt for putting Link in this position. Your mind was racing trying to think of the right words to say. You pulled a hand up and brushed it through his hair, whispering into his ear.

"I love you Link, I know I do. You are worth more to me than anything else in this world. You are good enough, I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose and I know I won't regret it."

Link took a deep breath. You took a moment before speaking again.

"But I don't want you to."

Link let a shaky breath out, long and thoughtful that ended in a sigh. He leant back in your arms, forehead against your own, and ran his thumb over the thin scar on your neck. You looked up at him and smiled, watching his sparkling blue eyes and wandering what tangle of thoughts he was unravelling behind them.

His other hand began to rub along your back and you began to hum, closing your eyes and feeling so loved and comforted and hoping Link was feeling the same, as you continued to run a hand through his hair.

Link also closed his eyes. Goddesses, he still didn't think even defeating the Calamity had been enough to deserve someone like you. So patient, so caring and so loving, even while you had both worked yourselves up to the point where Link was sure he could have just had his way with you without argument. But of course, that thought had led to all those punishing questions.

You spent another minute or so, leaning into each other in the warm water while Link listened to you hum, the sound in such a quiet place brought him such comfort. Being here, with you, so close and so warm and so loved, felt like home.

You opened your eyes when you felt him shift, his hands rising to your cheeks and pulled you in for a kiss. It was deeper than those before, more meaningful. You took it, gratefully, his tongue slowly pushing into your mouth on long circles. When he parted from you, you chased him, pulling his head back towards you for more.

Link was a little surprised but did not resist. The noise he made as you caught him off-guard was a little awkward, and you couldn't help but giggle lightly into the kiss. You felt Link smile against your lips. His mouth was warm and soft, he tasted like nothing in particular, but nothing you had ever tasted was as good. His smelled of sweat and dirt after the few days travel, and something else that was just  _Link,_ growing musky and hot as the kiss drew longer. 

His hands snuck back around your waist, his hands dragging over the curve of your hips, reaching down to your back then slowly, so slowly down to your ass, gently resting there as he all but pulled you closer to him, one hand eventually rising to the centre of your shoulders and pushing, your chest flush to his own. His cock was stiff once again and you felt it trapped in your embrace, so daring and so obvious between you. Link shifted his hips, brushing himself against you, your hands tightened into fists in his hair and your body began to ache once again.

You pulled away from the kiss as you began to worry, not wanting Link to fall into something he was worried about. "L...Link I-" 

His mouth was on your neck, kissing gently and grazing his teeth over your skin. "Yes, love?" You let out a huff of air, which earned you a dark chuckle.

"Are you sure?"

Link brought his gaze up to your own. "Yes," His eyes were dark with lust, once again. Though you did, only for a moment catch a flicker of fear. "Just, perhaps let's not go too far tonight, I want to make you feel good but..." He swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Let's just go slowly..."

His mouth returned to your neck. "Is that alright?"

"Perfect," The word fell from your mouth before you had a chance to think. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhahahhaa sorry I know this was a massive tease, I would have carried on but I wanted to post SOMETHING after making you wait so long. So here it is!!  
> But oh man  
> *furiously fanning self and drinking 15 cups of water in a row*  
> LiiiOOONKK


	51. Light in the Night (male reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HERE YA GO  
> DIS ONE GOT A PEEEEEN  
> sorry not sorry

"Your turn."

You watched a droplet of water trail over Link's shoulder and into a small pool forming on the stone. You stood about three feet away from where Link was, arms at your sides and lip between your teeth. You stood quiet for a moment, your stomach turning as you realised what you were about to do.

Link leant back a bit. "I won't look if you don't want me to?"

Another moment of silence passed. You looked down at your feet.

Undressing to swim was one thing, easily done. But undressing in front of Link, who so far has seemed so confident in himself, so sure of his body and what it was. You looked up at his eyes, calm and kind, smiling and waiting patiently. 

There was part of you worried about this. But it was slowly drowning in the thought of Link watching you take your clothes off, running his eyes over your own curves and your own skin on show for him, just for Link. You could tease him, slowly draw his attention to your hips, chest, legs, or watch him lose his concentration entirely by revealing everything at once.

But what if he didn't like it?

You swallowed, shaking your head. "I want you to... to look..."

Link bit his lip as his eyes flickered over your hands, reaching for your belt buckle. You turned to the side slightly, pulling the buckle loose and releasing your shirt from its place tucked neatly into your trousers. Your bag was already on the floor, and Link watched you discard your shirt on the floor next to it, your trousers not far behind.

Link looked back up at you, now standing above him in your undergarments - a baggy pair of underwear that was definitely made for comfort but did little to hide the growing bulge beneath them. Link let out a shaky breath. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to run his hands over the newly exposed skin. His mind flashed back to your time in the Gerudo desert, wearing next to nothing in the form of the traditional Gerudo clothing. 

Your arms drew over your chest as you felt Link staring, lost in the action of tracing your skin, freckles and small scars making constellations in his mind, pulling every detail together into the perfect memory. He looked away for a moment, realising your hesitation.

"You look..." Another shaky breath. Link swallowed and tried to form words, lost as with a burst of confidence you tucked your thumbs into the waistband of the underwear. Without looking him in the eye, you pushed your underwear down too, legs pinched together and arms across your chest.

"You look perfect."

You looked back up into his eyes, cheeks flush with embarrassment and a lump in your throat. Link was the first person, apart from a healer, to see you in any form of nudity. There was no element of distrust in the idea, you had never considered nakedness as something to be kept a secret, but at this moment you felt like you were giving him everything you were. He had shown you his scars, you would show him your secrets.

Link smiled, soft and warm, eyes fixed to yours.  He held out a hand and nodded towards a slope that sunk down into the water. You took a deep breath, pulled your arms away from your chest, taking Link's outstretched hand.

Link couldn't help but glance down at your chest, undeniably aware of how aroused you must be as you nipples lay hard on your chest. A look further down your body revealed another sign of arousal, your length standing upright. Link had to forcefully pull his eyes away. 

It was literally breathtaking to watch your body move so slowly towards him, wading into the water until you stood before him, waist-deep, skin red as it reacted to the steam around you, chest rising and falling as you looked into his eyes with such deep want. He was so nervous, so scared to make you leave this moment, so scared to do something you may regret. This had all started as some stupid idea to help you relax, now he was less than a meter away, absolutely naked and  _wanting you like nothing else._

He had to remind himself to breathe.

You weren't in such good shape either. Link was so close, you subconsciously blamed the water current for washing you close to him, though in such a tiny pool you knew there was no such movement. Your eyes took in every detail - the steam pooling as water droplets on his skin, tracing lines down his face and chest as they fell. You listened to his breath grow more ragged, mouth opening a few times as if to try and find something to say, but letting the silence take his words. The air was thick and hot, your body was stiff in anticipation and all you could focus on was how dark his eyes looked and the familiar throb of your cock against your stomach.

It was almost animalistic. The way you were practically circling each other, the rush of arousal holding you at that moment which dragged on in such delicious torture. You couldn't think, time moved past you like it wasn't real, it was all just  _his body, his face, his eyes, him._

He was so close, you could feel his breath, hot against your neck.

He was so close, you felt something brush against your leg.

"Oh," You said, more of a breathy whisper than anything else, but it was enough to pull a reaction from Link, though it wasn't the one you expected.

His body turned rigid and he stilled, his hips pulling back though his face remained in the crook of your neck.

"Gods, I'm sorry... you just..." His voice was strained, quiet and shaking.

You realised that while you had all but let yourself get lost in this, Link was falling into something he was fearful of. You stepped back, only an inch, and put your hands either side of his face.

"Me... me too." You swallowed. His eyes darted back and forth between yours, and now you could see his face twisting in anxiety. You felt your voice trembling, trying to ignore the desperate desire to pull him into you. "Lets just, uh..." You swallowed, trying to focus on words for a moment. "Talk to me, what's on your mind?"

Link was quick to interject. "I want to, I want to so bad." He let his head fall into the crook of your neck. "I want... to make you feel good..."

You let out a sound that was half pleasure half frustration, trying to keep coherent and respective to his words while your mind all but feel away into the thought of  _Link bearing down over you._

"Don't think I don't want to, love," The name had a spark of energy fall through your spine, adding more tightness to the coil in your stomach. You leant your head back, to look up to the ceiling. Link continued. "But I am afraid I may do something to hurt you... or you may regret it afterwards... or I may not be good enough for you or..."

You felt his body shake as he sobbed into your shoulder, and suddenly your entire mentality crashed down into the earth. You pulled his chin up with your hand, his eyes were a little red, tears in his eyes and his lip between his teeth, eyes looking shamefully to the floor. You slipped your arms around his neck and pulled him as close as you could. 

It was a strange sensation, and yes you could still feel his partial erection against your hip but the feeling of skin against skin was so comforting and raw. His chest against yours, his hips slotting into the shape of your own, his arms wrapping around your waist and his grip on your back as he took a deep breath, pulling your comforting scent into his lungs.

You had all but forgotten how delicate the Hero was, and you would be lying if you felt a spark of guilt for putting Link in this position. Your mind was racing trying to think of the right words to say. You pulled a hand up and brushed it through his hair, whispering into his ear.

"I love you Link, I know I do. You are worth more to me than anything else in this world. You are good enough, I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose and I know I won't regret it."

Link took a deep breath. You took a moment before speaking again.

"But I don't want you to."

Link let a shaky breath out, long and thoughtful that ended in a sigh. He leant back in your arms, forehead against your own, and ran his thumb over the thin scar on your neck. You looked up at him and smiled, watching his sparkling blue eyes and wandering what tangle of thoughts he was unravelling behind them.

His other hand began to rub along your back and you began to hum, closing your eyes and feeling so loved and comforted and hoping Link was feeling the same, as you continued to run a hand through his hair.

Link also closed his eyes. Goddesses, he still didn't think even defeating the Calamity had been enough to deserve someone like you. So patient, so caring and so loving, even while you had both worked yourselves up to the point where Link was sure he could have just had his way with you without argument. But of course, that thought had led to all those punishing questions.

You spent another minute or so, leaning into each other in the warm water while Link listened to you hum, the sound in such a quiet place brought him such comfort. Being here, with you, so close and so warm and so loved, felt like home.

You opened your eyes when you felt him shift, his hands rising to your cheeks and pulled you in for a kiss. It was deeper than those before, more meaningful. You took it, gratefully, his tongue slowly pushing into your mouth on long circles. When he parted from you, you chased him, pulling his head back towards you for more.

Link was a little surprised but did not resist. The noise he made as you caught him off-guard was a little awkward, and you couldn't help but giggle lightly into the kiss. You felt Link smile against your lips. His mouth was warm and soft, he tasted like nothing in particular, but nothing you had ever tasted was as good. His smelled of sweat and dirt after the few days travel, and something else that was just  _Link,_ growing musky and hot as the kiss drew longer. 

His hands snuck back around your waist, his hands dragging over the curve of your hips, reaching down to your back then slowly, so slowly down to your ass, gently resting there as he all but pulled you closer to him, one hand eventually rising to the centre of your shoulders and pushing, your chest flush to his own. His cock was stiff once again and you felt it trapped in your embrace, so daring and so obvious between you. Link shifted his hips, brushing himself against you, your hands tightened into fists in his hair and your body began to ache once again.

You pulled away from the kiss as you began to worry, not wanting Link to fall into something he was worried about. "L...Link I-" 

His mouth was on your neck, kissing gently and grazing his teeth over your skin. "Yes, love?" You let out a huff of air, which earned you a dark chuckle.

"Are you sure?"

Link brought his gaze up to your own. "Yes," His eyes were dark with lust, once again. Though you did, only for a moment catch a flicker of fear. "Just, perhaps let's not go too far tonight, I want to make you feel good but..." He swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Let's just go slowly..."

His mouth returned to your neck. "Is that alright?"

"Perfect," The word fell from your mouth before you had a chance to think. 


End file.
